Shloka 16

Śuka’s Manifestation from the Araṇi (Āraṇeya-janma) — शुकजन्म (आरणेय-सम्भव)

Devanagari script

मनश्ष्रति राजेन्द्र चारितं सर्वमिन्द्रिये:

Transliteration

manas śrati rājendra cāritaṁ sarvam indriyaiḥ | rājendra! mana indriyair dvārā sañcālitaḥ sarva-viṣayān prati gacchati | indriyāṇi tān viṣayān na paśyanti; mana eva tān nirantaraṁ paśyati | cakṣuḥ manasaḥ sahāyenaiva rūpa-darśanaṁ karoti, na sva-śaktyā ||

Translation

Яджнявалкья сказал: «О царь, весь ход переживания управляется умом в его связи с чувствами. Ум, действуя через органы чувств, обращается ко всем предметам восприятия. Сами чувства не “видят” этих предметов поистине; лишь ум непрестанно их постигает. Даже глаз воспринимает форму только при содействии ума, а не собственной независимой силой».

Word by Word

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• स्रति: moves/flows/goes
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृ
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• चारितम्: conduct/behavior
• चारितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इन्द्रियैः: by/through the senses
• इन्द्रियैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Rājendra (the king addressed)
• mind (manas)
• sense faculties (indriyas)
• eye (cakṣuḥ)
• objects of sense (viṣayas)
• form (rūpa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Perception is fundamentally a function of the mind: the senses are merely channels, while the mind is the true apprehender. Ethical self-mastery therefore requires disciplining the mind, not merely restraining the external organs.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a didactic exchange in Śānti Parva, Yājñavalkya instructs the king on the psychology of cognition—explaining how the mind, operating through the senses, engages objects, and how even sight depends on mental attention.