Shloka 3
Adhyāya 249 — Mṛtyu-prādurbhāvaḥ (The Manifestation of Death) / Restraint of Tejas and Ordered Saṃhāra
इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि बुद्धया संयम्य यत्नत: । सर्वतो निष्पतिष्णूनि पिता बालानिवात्मजान्
indriyāṇi pramāthīni buddhyā saṁyamya yatnataḥ | sarvato niṣpatiṣṇūni pitā bālān ivātmajān ||
毗耶娑说：当以坚定的努力，凭借辨慧来约束躁动的诸根。正如父亲管束年幼的儿子，使其不致放纵；人亦应如此制服那些向一切境界四散奔逐的感官。
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches indriya-nigraha (mastery of the senses): the senses are naturally restless and forceful, so one must deliberately restrain them through buddhi (discriminating intellect), with sustained effort, as a responsible guardian would restrain and guide children.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa delivers instruction on inner discipline. He uses a domestic analogy—father and young sons—to make the ethical point vivid: unchecked senses run toward objects from every side, and the seeker must govern them firmly yet wisely.