Shloka 26

अलर्कोपाख्यानम् — Indriya-Nigraha and Yogic Victory

Mahābhārata 14.30

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण उवाच ततोअलर्कस्तपो घोर तत्रैवास्थाय दुष्करम्‌ | नाध्यगच्छत्‌ परं शक्‍्त्या बाणमेतेषु सप्तसु

Transliteration

brāhmaṇa uvāca tato 'larkas tapo ghoraṁ tatraivāsthāya duṣkaram | nādhyagacchat paraṁ śaktyā bāṇam eteṣu saptasu ||

Translation

Брахман сказал: «О богиня, затем Аларка, оставаясь там же, под тем самым деревом, совершал суровую и трудную аскезу. Но, даже напрягая все силы, он не нашёл среди тех семи стрел ни одной высшей, способной покорить ум и разум вместе с пятью чувствами».

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अलर्कः: Alarka (proper name)
• अलर्कः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलर्क
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• घोरम्: terrible, severe
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• आस्थाय: having undertaken; having remained/settled
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्था (आ + स्था)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• दुष्करम्: difficult (to do)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अध्यगच्छत्: found; obtained; came to know
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + गम्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• परम्: supreme, excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शक्त्या: by (his) power/ability
• शक्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• बाणम्: arrow
• बाणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एतेषु: among these
• एतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• सप्तसु: among seven
• सप्तसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: सप्तन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (Brāhmaṇa narrator)
• अलर्क (Alarka)
• बाण (arrow)
• सप्त (seven arrows/weapons, implied set)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even intense effort and power may fail to yield an external means (a weapon) for mastering the inner faculties; the verse underscores the ethical idea that true victory lies in conquering mind and senses, which is not easily achieved through outward instruments.

What is happening in the narrative?

After earlier events, Alarka stays in the same place and performs severe austerities, seeking an unsurpassed arrow among a set of seven; despite his effort, he cannot find a weapon fit to subdue mind, intellect, and the five senses.