ASHWAMEGH
PARV MAHABHARAT BOOK 14 CHAPTER 30
Mahabharat
Book 14 Chapter 30 : English
SECTION XXX
Narrates
history of Alark and importance
of Yog
"The Pitris said, 'In this connection is cited this old history.
Having heard it, thou shouldst act according to it, O foremost of
all regenerate persons.
•
There was a royal sage of the name Alark endued with the
austerest of penances. He was conversant with all duties, truthful
in speech, of high soul, and exceedingly firm in his vows.
• Having, with his bow, conquered the whole
Earth extending to the seas, and thereby achieved an exceedingly
difficult feat, he set his mind on that which is subtle. While sitting
at the root of a tree, his thoughts, O thou of great intelligence,
abandoning all those great feats, turned towards that which is subtle.'
• "Alark said, 'My mind has become
strong. Having conquered the mind, one's conquest becomes permanent.
Though surrounded by foes, I shall (henceforth) shoot my arrows
at other objects. Since in consequence of its unsteadiness, it sets
all mortals to accomplish acts, I shall shoot very sharp-pointed
shafts at the mind.'
• "The mind said, 'These arrows, O
Alark, will never pierce me through. They will pierce only thy own
vital parts, Thy vital parts being pierced, thou shalt die. Do thou
look out for other arrows with which to destroy me.' Hearing these
words and reflecting upon them, he said as follows.
• "Alark said, 'Smelling very many
perfumes, the nose hankers after them only. Hence I shall shoot
whetted arrows at the nose.'
• "The nose said, 'These arrows will
never cross through me, O Alark. They will pierce only thy own vital
parts, and thy vital parts being pierced, thou shalt die. Do thou
look for other arrows with which to destroy me.'
Hearing these words and reflecting upon them, he said as follows.
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53
•
"Alark said, This one (viz., the tongue), enjoying
savoury tastes, hankers after them only. Hence I shall shoot whetted
shafts at the tongue.'
• "The tongue said, 'These arrows,
O Alark, will not cross through me. They will only pierce thy own
vital parts and thy vital parts being pierced, thou shalt die. Do
thou look for other arrows with which to destroy me.' Hearing these
words and reflecting upon them, he said as follows.
• "Alark said, 'The skin, touching
diverse objects of touch, hankers after them only. Hence, I shall
tear off the skin with diverse arrows equipt with the feathers of
the Kanka.'
• "The skin said, 'These arrows will
not, O Alark, cross through me. They will pierce thy own vital parts
only, and thy vital parts being pierced, thou shalt die. Do thou
look for other arrows with which to destroy me.' Hearing these words
and reflecting on them, he said as follows.
• "Alark said, 'Hearing diverse sounds,
(the ear) hankers after them only. Hence, I shall shoot whetted
shafts at the ear.'
• "The ear said, 'These arrows will
not, O Alark, cross through me. They will pierce thy own vital parts
only, and thy vital parts being pierced, thou shalt die. Do thou
then look for other arrows with which to destroy me.' Hearing these
words and reflecting upon them, he said as follows.
• "Alark said, 'Seeing many colours,
the eye hankers after them only. Hence, I shall destroy the eye
with sharp-pointed arrows.'
• "The eye said. 'These arrows will
not, O Alark, cross through me at all. They will pierce thy own
vital parts only, and thy vital parts being pierced, thou shalt
die. Do thou then look for other arrows with which to destroy me!'
Hearing these words and reflecting upon them, he said as follows.
• "Alark said, 'This (viz., the understanding)
forms many determinations with the aid of ratiocination. Hence,
I shall shoot whetted arrows at the understanding.'
"The understanding said, 'These arrows will not, O Alark, cross
through me at all. They will pierce thy vital parts only, and thy
vital parts being pierced, thou shalt die. Do thou then look for
other arrows with which to destroy me!'
"The
Brahmana continued, 'Then Alark, employing himself, even there,
on penances difficult to perform and exceedingly austere, failed
to obtain, by the high power (of his penances) arrows for casting
at these seven. Endued with puissance, he then, with mind well concentrated,
began to reflect. Then O best of regenerate ones, Alark, that foremost
of intelligent men, having reflected for a long time, failed to
obtain anything better than Yog. Setting his mind on one object,
he remained perfectly still, engaged in Yog.1 Endued with energy,
he quickly slew all the senses with one arrow, having entered by
Yog into his
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soul
and thereby attained to the highest success. Filled with wonder,
that royal sage then sang this verse: Alas, it is a pity that we
should have accomplished all acts that are external! Alas, that
we should have, endued with the thirst for enjoyment, courted (the
pleasures of) sovereignty before now! I have learnt this afterwards.
There is no happiness that is higher than Yog.--Do thou know this,
O Rama. Cease to slay the Kshatriyas. Do thou practise the austerest
of penances. Thou wilt then attain to what is good.--Thus addressed
by his grandsires, Jamadagni's son practised the austerest penances,
and having practised them, that highly blessed one attained to that
success which is difficult to reach.'"
Footnotes
:
52:1
Kshatriya-bandhu always implies low or inferior Kshatriyas, as Brahma-bandhu
implies low or inferior Brahmanas. The expression, very probably,
is similar to Brahman-sangat in current Bengali. It does not surely
mean 'kinsmen of Kshatriyas'.
53:1
The vocative, 'O foremost of regenerate ones' applies to Jamadagni's
son. The narration is that of the Pitris. All the copies, however,
represent this as the Brahmana's speech to his wife. Indeed, the
Brahmana is only reciting to his wife the speech of the Pitris to
Rama. The Yog here spoken of is, as Nilakanth explains the Raj-Yog.
Previously, Alark had been bent upon Hath-Yog which frequently ends
in the destruction of the person practising it.
Source
:
https://www.jatland.com/
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