Mahabharata
Prajāgara (034) (Dhṛtarāṣṭra's Night of Anxiety, Chapters 33–40)5.34.56-60
4217 / 15823
Mahabharata · 5.34.56-60
Devanāgarī

वश्येन्द्रियं जितामात्यं धृतदण्डं विकारिषु ॥
परीक्ष्यकारिणं धीरम् अत्यन्तं श्रीर् निषेवते ॥
रथः शरीरं पुरुषस्य राजन्; नात्मा नियन्तेन्द्रियाण्य् अस्य चाश्वाः ॥
तैर् अप्रमत्तः कुशलः सदश्वैर्; दान्तैः सुखं याति रथीव धीरः ॥
एतान्य् अनिगृहीतानि व्यापादयितुम् अप्य् अलम् ॥
अविधेया इवादान्ता हयाः पथि कुसारथिम् ॥
अनर्थम् अर्थतः पश्यन्न् अर्थं चैवाप्य् अनर्थतः ॥
इन्द्रियैः प्रसृतो बालः सुदुःखं मन्यते सुखम् ॥
धर्मार्थौ यः परित्यज्य स्याद् इन्द्रियवशानुगः ॥
श्रीप्राणधनदारेभ्य क्षिप्रं स परिहीयते ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

vaśyendriyaṃ jitāmātyaṃ dhṛtadaṇḍaṃ vikāriṣu ||
parīkṣyakāriṇaṃ dhīram atyantaṃ śrīr niṣevate ||
rathaḥ śarīraṃ puruṣasya rājan; nātmā niyantendriyāṇy asya cāśvāḥ ||
tair apramattaḥ kuśalaḥ sadaśvair; dāntaiḥ sukhaṃ yāti rathīva dhīraḥ ||
etāny anigṛhītāni vyāpādayitum apy alam ||
avidheyā ivādāntā hayāḥ pathi kusārathim ||
anartham arthataḥ paśyann arthaṃ caivāpy anarthataḥ ||
indriyaiḥ prasṛto bālaḥ suduḥkhaṃ manyate sukham ||
dharmārthau yaḥ parityajya syād indriyavaśānugaḥ ||
śrīprāṇadhanadārebhya kṣipraṃ sa parihīyate ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
वश्येन्द्रियंvaśyendriyaṃwith senses mastered; having subdued the senses
जितामात्यंjitāmātyaṃhaving subdued ministers; having mastered counselors
धृतदण्डंdhṛtadaṇḍaṃholding punishment; wielding the rod of authority
विकारिषुvikāriṣutoward wrongdoers; toward transgressors
परीक्ष्यकारिणंparīkṣyakāriṇaṃacting after examination; proceeding circumspectly
धीरम्dhīramthe wise one; steadfast one
अत्यन्तंatyantaṃutterly; fully
श्रीर्śrīrglory; prosperity
निषेवतेniṣevateattends; resorts to
रथःrathaḥchariot; carriage
शरीरंśarīraṃthe body; the flesh
पुरुषस्यpuruṣasyaof a man; of a person
राजन्rājanO king; earthly lord
नात्माnātmāand the self; not the body, but the soul
नियन्तेन्द्रियाण्य्niyantendriyāṇythe driver, the senses; the controller and the organs of the senses
अस्यasyahis; of this
चाश्वाःcāśvāḥand horses; and steeds
तैर्tairby them; by those
अप्रमत्तःapramattaḥattentive; watchful
कुशलःkuśalaḥskilled; adept
सदश्वैर्sadaśvairwith good horses; with fine steeds
दान्तैःdāntaiḥtamed; subdued
सुखंsukhaṃhappily; joyfully
यातिyātigoes; travels
रथीवrathīvaas a charioteer; like a driver
धीरःdhīraḥwise; steadfast
एतान्य्etānythese; these very
अनिगृहीतानिanigṛhītāniunrestrained; uncontrolled
व्यापादयितुम्vyāpādayitumto destroy; to bring ruin
अप्य्apyeven; also
अलम्alamenough; sufficient
अविधेयाavidheyādisobedient; unmanageable
इवादान्ताivādāntāas if untamed; like unbroken ones
हयाःhayāḥhorses; steeds
पथिpathion the road; in the path
कुसारथिम्kusārathima poor charioteer; an unskilled driver
अनर्थम्anarthamharm; misfortune
अर्थतःarthataḥas benefit; in terms of purpose
पश्यन्न्paśyannseeing; regarding
अर्थंarthaṃbenefit; purpose
चैवाप्य्caivāpyand also indeed; and even
अनर्थतःanarthataḥas harm; in terms of misfortune
इन्द्रियैःindriyaiḥby the senses; by the organs of perception
प्रसृतोprasṛtocarried away; let loose
बालःbālaḥa fool; a child
सुदुःखंsuduḥkhaṃextreme suffering; grievous woe
मन्यतेmanyateconsiders; regards
सुखम्sukhamhappiness; well-being
धर्मार्थौdharmārthaudharma and profit; duty and gain
यःyaḥwhich; who
परित्यज्यparityajyahaving abandoned; having forsaken
स्याद्syādwould be; let it be
इन्द्रियवशानुगःindriyavaśānugaḥa follower of the senses' rule; subject to the senses
श्रीप्राणधनदारेभ्यśrīprāṇadhanadārebhyafrom glory, life, wealth, and wife; from prosperity, breath, riches, and spouse
क्षिप्रंkṣipraṃquickly; swiftly
sahe; this one
परिहीयतेparihīyateis deprived; loses
Translation

Prosperity utterly attends the wise man who has mastered his senses, subdued his ministers, wields punishment against wrongdoers, and acts only after due examination. The chariot, O king, is a man's body; not the body but the self is the driver, and his senses are the horses. Attentive and skillful with these fine steeds, once tamed, the wise man travels happily, like a charioteer. Left unrestrained, these very senses are enough to bring ruin, like unbroken, disobedient horses on the road under an unskilled driver. The fool, carried away by his senses, mistakes harm for benefit and benefit for harm, and takes grievous suffering to be happiness. He who abandons dharma and profit and becomes a slave to his senses is swiftly stripped of glory, life, wealth, and wife.

Version

1cd719a185fe · published Jul 17, 2026, 4:02:44 AM UTC

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