Shloka 44
धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)
दमात् सिद्धि परीप्सन्तो मां जना:कामयन्ति ह । दिवं चोर्वीं च मध्यं च तस्माद् दामोदरो हाहम्
damāt siddhi-parīpsanto māṁ janāḥ kāmayanti ha | divaṁ corvīṁ ca madhyaṁ ca tasmād dāmodaro hy aham ||
ଦମ (ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟସଂଯମ) ଦ୍ୱାରା ସିଦ୍ଧି ଚାହୁଁଥିବା ଲୋକମାନେ ମୋତେ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛା କରନ୍ତି; ଏହି ଏକେ ଶାସନ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସେମାନେ ପୃଥିବୀ, ସ୍ୱର୍ଗ ଓ ମଧ୍ୟଲୋକରେ ଉଚ୍ଚ ଅବସ୍ଥା ଆକାଂକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତି। ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ ‘ଦାମୋଦର’ ଭାବେ ପରିଚିତ।
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Self-restraint (dama), especially control of the senses, is presented as a direct means to spiritual attainment: it leads seekers toward the highest reality (‘Me’) and also toward higher states of existence across the cosmic realms. Ethical discipline is thus not merely social virtue but a transformative spiritual power.
In a doctrinal exchange within Śānti Parva, the speaker identifies why the epithet “Dāmodara” applies: beings who pursue success and higher worlds do so through dama, and the name is explained by a traditional derivation linking ‘dama’ with ‘udara/udīrṇa’ (rising, being elevated).