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
Matapos sakupin ang lupang napapaligiran ng dagat, ang mga palalong hari ay pumapasok pa sa karagatan nang sapilitan, na para bang sasakupin pati ang dagat. Ano ang silbi ng pagpipigil-sa-sarili kung para sa pagsasamantala sa pulitika? Ang tunay na bunga ng pagpipigil-sa-sarili ay moksha—kalayaan ng espiritu.
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.