Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 25

अलर्कोपाख्यानम् — Indriya-Nigraha and Yogic Victory

Mahābhārata 14.30

बुद्धिर्वाच नेमे बाणास्तरिष्यन्ति मामलर्क कथंचन । तवैव मर्म भेत्स्यन्ति भिन्नमर्मा मरिष्यसि । अन्यान्‌ बाणान्‌ समीक्षस्व यैस्त्वं मां सूदयिष्यसि,बुद्धि बोली--अलर्क! ये बाण मेरा किसी प्रकार भी स्पर्श नहीं कर सकते। इनसे तुम्हारा ही मर्म विदीर्ण होगा और मर्म विदीर्ण होनेपर तुम्हीं मरोगे। जिनकी सहायतासे मुझे मार सकोगे, वे बाण तो कोई और ही हैं। उनके विषयमें विचार करो

buddhir uvāca neme bāṇās tariṣyanti mām alarka kathaṃcana | tavaiva marma bhetsyanti bhinnamarmā mariṣyasi | anyān bāṇān samīkṣasva yais tvaṃ māṃ sūdayiṣyasi |

ปัญญากล่าวว่า “อลรกะเอ๋ย ศรเหล่านี้จักไม่อาจแตะต้องเราได้เลย; กลับจักแทงถูกมรรมหัวใจของเจ้าเอง ครั้นมรรมหักพัง เจ้าจักถึงความตาย. จงพิจารณา ‘ศร’ อื่น—คือวิธีอื่น—ที่จักปราบเราได้จริง”

बुद्धिःintelligence; (personified) Buddhi
बुद्धिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्धि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
इमेthese
इमे:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
बाणाःarrows
बाणाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबाण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तरिष्यन्तिwill cross/overcome; will reach (and affect)
तरिष्यन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootतॄ
FormSimple Future, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
माम्me
माम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormAccusative, Singular
अलर्कO Alarka
अलर्क:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootअलर्क
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
कथंचनin any way; at all
कथंचन:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथंचन
तवyour
तव:
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular
एवindeed; only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
मर्मvital spot
मर्म:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमर्मन्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
भेत्स्यन्तिwill pierce/split
भेत्स्यन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootभिद्
FormSimple Future, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
भिन्न-मर्माone whose vital spot is pierced
भिन्न-मर्मा:
TypeAdjective
Rootभिन्न + मर्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मरिष्यसिyou will die
मरिष्यसि:
TypeVerb
Rootमृ
FormSimple Future, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada
अन्यान्other
अन्यान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
बाणान्arrows
बाणान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबाण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
समीक्षस्वconsider; examine
समीक्षस्व:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-ईक्ष्
FormImperative, 2nd, Singular, Atmanepada
यैःby which
यैः:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
FormNominative, Singular
माम्me
माम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormAccusative, Singular
सूदयिष्यसिyou will kill
सूदयिष्यसि:
TypeVerb
Rootसूद्
FormCausative Simple Future, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

अलर्क उवाच

B
Buddhi (personified Intelligence)
A
Alarka
A
arrows (bāṇāḥ)
V
vital spots (marma)

Educational Q&A

Blind aggression and unsuitable methods rebound upon the doer. True victory over a higher principle like Buddhi requires appropriate inner means—discernment, self-control, and right strategy—rather than crude force that harms oneself.

In a confrontational exchange, Alarka attempts to strike Buddhi with arrows. Buddhi replies that such arrows cannot touch her; instead they will pierce Alarka’s own vital points and lead to his death, urging him to seek other, more fitting ‘weapons’ or methods.