Shloka 22
अलर्कोपाख्यानम् — Indriya-Nigraha and Yogic Victory
Mahābhārata 14.30
चक्षुर॒वाच नेमे बाणास्तरिष्यन्ति मामलर्क कथंचन । तवैव मर्म भेत्स्यन्ति भिन्नमर्मा मरिष्यसि
cakṣur uvāca: neme bāṇās tariṣyanti mām alarka kathaṃcana | tavaiva marma bhetsyanti bhinnamarmā mariṣyasi ||
ਅੱਖ ਬੋਲੀ—ਅਲਰਕਾ, ਇਹ ਬਾਣ ਕਿਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਵੀ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਨੁਕਸਾਨ ਨਹੀਂ ਪਹੁੰਚਾ ਸਕਣਗੇ; ਇਹ ਤਾਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਹੀ ਮਰਮ-ਸਥਾਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਭੇਦਣਗੇ; ਮਰਮ ਛਿਦ ਜਾਣ ਤੇ ਤੂੰ ਮਰ ਜਾਵੇਂਗਾ।
अलर्क उवाच
Educational Q&A
Aggression directed at what is invulnerable or protected can rebound upon the aggressor; ethical restraint is urged by warning that violence often returns as self-destruction.
In a dialogic episode, the personified Eye addresses Alarka, declaring that his arrows cannot injure it; instead, the attack will end by striking Alarka’s own vital points, leading to his death.