Shloka 27

अलर्कोपाख्यानम् — Indriya-Nigraha and Yogic Victory

Mahābhārata 14.30

Devanagari script

सुसमाहितचेतास्तु स ततो$चिन्तयत्‌ प्रभु: । स विचिन्त्य चिरं कालमलर्को द्विजसत्तम

Transliteration

susamāhitacetāstu sa tato 'cintayat prabhuḥ | sa vicintya ciraṃ kālam alarko dvijasattamaḥ ||

Translation

其心澄然专一，那位强者遂开始思索。久而久之，阿拉尔迦——诸“二次生”中最卓越者——终于得出他深思后的定夺。

Word by Word

• सुसमाहितचेताः: having a well-composed mind
• सुसमाहितचेताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुसमाहितचेतस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

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

• ततः: then/from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अचिन्तयत्: thought/pondered
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• प्रभुः: the lord/master
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• विचिन्त्य: having reflected
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चिन्त्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर

• कालम्: time/period
• कालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अलर्कः: Alarka (proper name)
• अलर्कः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलर्क
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजसत्तमः: best of the twice-born (excellent Brahmin)
• द्विजसत्तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Alarka
• Brāhmaṇa (speaker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical necessity of inner composure (samādhāna of mind) and sustained deliberation before arriving at a decision—suggesting that right action (dharma) is grounded in calm reflection rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

The brāhmaṇa narrator describes Alarka as settling his mind and thinking deeply for a long time; the scene marks a transition where careful contemplation precedes the next decisive step in the story.