Shloka 11
Śarīrin, Buddhi, and the Limits of Sense-Perception (इन्द्रियबुद्धिशरीरिविचारः)
तस्य तत् पूर्वसंरुद्धमात्मन: षष्ठमान्तरम् । स्फुरिष्यति समुदशभ्रान्ता विद्युदम्बुधरे यथा
tasya tat pūrvasaṃruddham ātmanaḥ ṣaṣṭham antaram | sphuriṣyati samudaśabhrāntā vidyud ambudhare yathā ||
Disse Bhishma: Mesmo quando, por esforço anterior, a mente juntamente com os sentidos foi refreada e mantida firme por algum tempo, ela volta a inflamar-se ao encontrar uma brecha — como o relâmpago que de súbito cintila dentro da nuvem. Do mesmo modo, a mente torna a inquietar-se repetidas vezes e corre para os objetos dos sentidos, mostrando que o autocontrole requer vigilância e disciplina contínuas.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Temporary restraint is not final victory: even a mind subdued by effort can surge back toward sense-objects when an opportunity arises. Therefore one must practice sustained vigilance (apramāda), repeated restraint, and steady discipline rather than trusting a brief calm.
In Bhishma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he explains the practical difficulty of inner governance. Using the image of lightning flashing in a cloud, he describes how the mind—counted as the ‘sixth’ alongside the five senses—can suddenly become active again after having been checked, and thus needs ongoing training.