Shloka 66

ब्राह्मणानुयात्रा—शौनकोपदेशः

Brāhmaṇas Follow into Exile and Śaunaka’s Instruction

Devanagari script

हियते बुध्यमानो5पि नरो हारिभिरिन्द्रियै: । विमूढसंज्ञो दुष्टाश्वैरुदभ्रान्तैरिव सारथि:,समझदार मनुष्य भी मनको हर लेनेवाली इन्द्रियोंद्रारा विषयोंकी ओर खींच लिया जाता है। उस समय उसकी विचारशक्ति मोहित हो जाती है। जैसे दुष्ट घोड़े वशमें न होनेपर सारथिको कुमार्गमें घसीट ले जाते हैं, यही दशा उस अजितेन्द्रिय पुरुषकी भी होती है

Transliteration

hriyate budhyamāno 'pi naro hāribhir indriyaiḥ | vimūḍha-saṃjño duṣṭāśvair udabhrāntair iva sārathiḥ ||

Translation

即便是明达之人，也会被那夺心的诸根牵引，拖向享乐之境。于彼时，其觉知为迷妄所覆——如御者被桀骜未驯之马拉离正道。未能制伏诸根者，其境况正是如此：纵有知识在身，行持亦为失控的冲动所压倒。

Word by Word

हियतेis carried away / is drawn away

बुध्यमानःbeing aware / understanding

अपिeven

नरःa man

हारिभिःby (those) that steal/entice away

इन्द्रियैःby the senses

विमूढसंज्ञःone whose awareness is deluded

दुष्टाश्वैःby wicked horses

उद्भ्रान्तैःby (horses) gone astray / unbridled

इवlike

सारथिःa charioteer

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

श

शौनक (Śaunaka)

न

नर (a person)

इ

इन्द्रिय (the senses)

स

सारथि (charioteer)

अ

अश्व (horses)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Intellectual understanding alone is not sufficient; without mastery over the senses, a person is pulled toward sense-objects and loses clear judgment. Ethical life requires indriya-nigraha (restraint of the senses) so that discernment can guide action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka states a general moral observation using a vivid simile: the senses are compared to unruly horses that drag a charioteer off course. The verse functions as instruction, warning that even the wise can be overpowered when the senses are uncontrolled.