Shloka 23

अलर्कोपाख्यानम् — Indriya-Nigraha and Yogic Victory

Mahābhārata 14.30

Devanagari script

तच्छुत्वा स विचिन्त्याथ ततो वचनमत्रवीत्‌,यह सुनकर अलर्कने कुछ देर विचार करनेके बाद (बुद्धिको लक्ष्य करके) यह बात कही

Transliteration

tac chrutvā sa vicintyātha tato vacanam abravīt

Translation

Nghe những lời ấy, Alarka trầm ngâm giây lát; rồi lấy Trí tuệ (Buddhi) làm người dẫn đường, ông cất lời đáp lại—cho thấy đây là lời đáp đã cân nhắc, có lý trí, chứ không phải phản ứng bốc đồng.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (speech/statement)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada (usage), Prior action (having heard)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विचिन्त्य: having reflected/considered
• विचिन्त्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive), Prior action (having reflected)

• अथ: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• ततः: thereafter/from that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• अवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

Speaker

अलर्क उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Alarka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical speech: one should listen carefully, reflect with discernment (buddhi), and only then respond—showing restraint and reasoned judgment as marks of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing the preceding statement, Alarka pauses to think and then begins his reply, indicating a transition to his considered response in the dialogue.