Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

न चेन्द्रियव्युपरमे मनस्युपरमो भवेत्‌ | एवं मन:प्रधानानि इन्द्रियाणि प्रभावयेत्‌

Transliteration

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

Translation

阎若伐迦说道：“纵使诸根止息其用，心亦未必随之寂静。故当了知：在一切机能之中，心为最上；正是心统御并驱使诸根。是以，戒制之道不在仅仅闭塞感官之行，而在降伏其后之心。”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• इन्द्रिय: in the sense-organs / with regard to the senses
• इन्द्रिय: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• व्युपरमे: in the cessation/withdrawal
• व्युपरमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + उप + रम् (रमुँ)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• मनसि: in the mind
• मनसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• उपरमः: cessation, quieting
• उपरमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपरम
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भवेत्: would be / might occur
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: optative (vidhiling), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• प्रधानानि: chief, predominant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रधान
• Form: neuter, nominative, plural

• इन्द्रियाणि: sense-organs
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय
• Form: neuter, nominative, plural

• प्रभावयेत्: should make effective / should govern, influence
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + भू (causative: प्रभावयति)
• Form: optative (vidhiling), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• याज्ञवल्क्य (Yājñavalkya)
• इन्द्रियाणि (the senses)
• मनस् (the mind)

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.