Shloka 23

Adhyāya 214: Tapas Redefined—Perpetual Discipline, Hospitality, and the Ethics of Eating (तपः-निरूपणम्, विघसाशी-अतिथिप्रिय-धर्मः)

Devanagari script

महर्षिर्भगवानन्रिवेंद तच्छुक्रसम्भवम्‌ । त्रिबीजमिन्द्रदैवत्यं तस्मादिन्द्रियमुच्यते

Transliteration

mahārṣir bhagavān atrir veda tac chukra-sambhavam | tri-bījam indra-daivatyam tasmād indriyam ucyate ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Đại thánh hiền Atri đáng tôn kính biết rõ nguồn gốc và đường vận hành của năng lực sinh sản ấy. Ngài tuyên rằng nó có ba nhân: (mạch) mang chở tâm, saṅkalpa (quyết ý), và thức ăn. Thần chủ quản của năng lực này là Indra; vì thế nó được gọi là ‘indriya’—cái thuộc về Indra, hay các căn dưới quyền Indra.”

Word by Word

• महर्षिः: great sage
• महर्षिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवान्: venerable, blessed
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अत्रिः: Atri
• अत्रिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वेद: knows
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शुक्र-सम्भवम्: born of semen
• शुक्र-सम्भवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्रसम्भव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• त्रि-बीजम्: having three seeds/causes
• त्रि-बीजम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिबीज
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इन्द्र-दैवत्यम्: whose presiding deity is Indra
• इन्द्र-दैवत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्रदैवत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• इन्द्रियम्: sense-organ; faculty
• इन्द्रियम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उच्यते: is called
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Passive

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Maharshi Atri
• Indra
• śukra (generative potency/seed)
• manovahā nāḍī
• saṅkalpa
• anna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links bodily potency and the functioning of faculties to three supports—mind-channel, intention, and nourishment—implying that ethical self-mastery involves regulating thought (saṅkalpa) and diet, since the senses (indriyas) are governed under a higher order symbolized by Indra.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction during the Shanti Parva, he cites the authority of the sage Atri to explain the origin and classification of ‘indriya,’ giving a doctrinal-etymological account that connects physiology, psychology, and divine governance.