Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

न चेन्द्रियव्युपरमे मनस्युपरमो भवेत्‌ | एवं मन:प्रधानानि इन्द्रियाणि प्रभावयेत्‌,परंतु इन्द्रियोंके उपरत होनेपर मनमें उपरति नहीं आती। इस प्रकार यह निश्चय करना चाहिये कि सम्पूर्ण इन्द्रियोंमें मन ही प्रधान है

Transliteration

na cendriyavyuparame manasy uparamo bhavet | evaṁ manaḥ-pradhānāni indriyāṇi prabhāvayet |

Translation

لیکن محض حواس کی سرگرمی رک جانے سے ذہن میں لازماً سکون (اُپرتی) نہیں آتا۔ اس لیے یہ بات قطعی سمجھنی چاہیے کہ تمام قوائے حسی میں اصل سربراہ ذہن ہے؛ وہی حواس کو چلاتا اور انہیں مہمیز دیتا ہے۔

Word by Word

नnot

चand

इन्द्रियin the sense-organs / with regard to the senses

व्युपरमेin the cessation/withdrawal

मनसिin the mind

उपरमःcessation, quieting

भवेत्would be / might occur

एवम्thus

मनःmind

प्रधानानिchief, predominant

इन्द्रियाणिsense-organs

प्रभावयेत्should make effective / should govern, influence

Speaker

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

य

याज्ञवल्क्य (Yājñavalkya)

इ

इन्द्रियाणि (the senses)

म

मनस् (the mind)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Mere withdrawal of the senses does not guarantee inner peace; the mind remains active unless it is disciplined. Since the senses are mind-led, true restraint and ethical steadiness come from mastering the mind rather than only suppressing external sense-activity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instructional discourse, the sage Yājñavalkya explains principles of inner discipline to his listener(s), emphasizing psychological causality: the mind is primary and directs the senses, so spiritual practice must address the mind’s movements.