Shloka 11
Śarīrin, Buddhi, and the Limits of Sense-Perception (इन्द्रियबुद्धिशरीरिविचारः)
तस्य तत् पूर्वसंरुद्धमात्मन: षष्ठमान्तरम् । स्फुरिष्यति समुदशभ्रान्ता विद्युदम्बुधरे यथा
tasya tat pūrvasaṃruddham ātmanaḥ ṣaṣṭham antaram | sphuriṣyati samudaśabhrāntā vidyud ambudhare yathā ||
Wika ni Bhishma: Kahit na sa naunang pagsisikap ay napigil at napapanatag ang isip kasama ng mga pandama sa loob ng ilang sandali, muli itong sumisiklab kapag nakakita ng siwang—gaya ng kidlat na biglang kumikislap sa loob ng ulap. Gayon din, ang isip ay paulit-ulit na nagiging balisa at humahagibis pabalik sa mga bagay na nadarama, kaya’t malinaw na kailangan ang pagbabantay at tuluy-tuloy na disiplina sa pagpipigil-sa-sarili.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Temporary restraint is not final victory: even a mind subdued by effort can surge back toward sense-objects when an opportunity arises. Therefore one must practice sustained vigilance (apramāda), repeated restraint, and steady discipline rather than trusting a brief calm.
In Bhishma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he explains the practical difficulty of inner governance. Using the image of lightning flashing in a cloud, he describes how the mind—counted as the ‘sixth’ alongside the five senses—can suddenly become active again after having been checked, and thus needs ongoing training.