Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 5
The Earth Laughs at World-Conquering Kings; Yuga-Dharma and the Remedy for Kali
समुद्रावरणां जित्वा मां विशन्त्यब्धिमोजसा । कियदात्मजयस्यैतन्मुक्तिरात्मजये फलम् ॥ ५ ॥
samudrāvaraṇāṁ jitvā māṁ viśanty abdhim ojasā kiyad ātma-jayasyaitan muktir ātma-jaye phalam
Depois de conquistar a terra cercada pelo mar, esses reis orgulhosos entram à força no oceano, como se fossem conquistar também as águas. De que serve um autocontrole voltado à exploração política? O verdadeiro fruto do autocontrole é a libertação espiritual (moksha).
FAQs
This verse teaches that true victory is inner conquest—mastery over one’s own mind and senses—and that even liberation (mukti) is merely a fruit of such self-conquest.
He uses a poetic comparison: as one may ‘conquer’ and enter the physical ocean by force, similarly one may speak of entering the Absolute—yet the real measure of spiritual success is not external power but inner mastery.
Prioritize discipline over display: regulate habits, speech, and desires, and cultivate steady sādhana—because inner control is the root from which peace and spiritual freedom arise.