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
buddhir uvāca neme bāṇās tariṣyanti mām alarka kathaṃcana | tavaiva marma bhetsyanti bhinnamarmā mariṣyasi | anyān bāṇān samīkṣasva yais tvaṃ māṃ sūdayiṣyasi |
Nagsalita si Buddhi: “Alarka, hindi ako maaabot ng mga palasong ito sa anumang paraan. Sa halip, ang tatamaan ay ang sarili mong mga mahalagang bahagi; kapag napinsala ang mga iyon, ikaw ang mamamatay. Suriin mo ang iba pang ‘mga palaso’—ibang paraan—na siyang makapagpapabagsak sa akin nang tunay.”
अलर्क उवाच
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.