dhairyāṅkuśena nibhṛtaṃrabhasādākṛṣya bhaktiśṛṅkhalayā ;purahara caraṇālānehṛdayamadebhaṃ badhāna cidyantraiḥ . 96 .
ŚLOKA 96 / 100
Tending the heart’s elephant
About these study notes: English meanings and explanations were generated with AI assistance and have not been independently reviewed by a Sanskrit scholar. Sanskrit text follows the cited source editions.
02 / PHRASE STUDY · PADĀRTHA
A phrase at a time.
Follow the words into meaning. Select a phrase to locate it in the verse above. Read the quarters together for the full sentence.
Sringeri IAST text · source wording and line-break hyphens retained. English glosses follow the connected Sanskrit sense.
Vignanam text · spellings and hyphens retained. English glosses follow the base Sanskrit; variant readings are not separately translated.
| Selected phrase | Meaning in context |
|---|---|
With the goad of courage, hold it firmly. | |
Draw it close with the chain of devotion. | |
Destroyer of the cities, bind the intoxicated elephant of my heart to the post of your feet, | |
Using the means of awareness. |
These four study units follow the printed quarters. Sentences and compounds can continue across a line break; read the whole verse for connected meaning. The source wording stays unchanged.
| Selected phrase | Meaning in context |
|---|---|
With the goad of courage, hold it firmly. Key expressions in this quarter: dhairya — courage or steadiness; aṅkuśa — elephant goad. | |
Draw it close with the chain of devotion. Key expressions in this quarter: bhakti — devotion; śṛṅkhalā — chain. | |
Destroyer of the cities, bind the intoxicated elephant of my heart to the post of your feet, Key expressions in this quarter: ālana — tethering post. | |
Using the means of awareness. Key expressions in this quarter: hṛdaya — heart; madebha — intoxicated elephant; cit — awareness. |
Selected words and compound parts are shown in IAST. This is a contextual vocabulary study, not an exhaustive grammatical analysis. The source phrase follows your selected script. Locate highlights that unchanged phrase; learning forms are not substituted into the verse.
| Word / source phrase | Meaning in context |
|---|---|
courage or steadiness | |
elephant goad | |
devotion | |
chain | |
tethering post | |
heart | |
intoxicated elephant | |
awareness |
03 / SIMPLE MEANING
Tending the heart’s elephant
With the goad of courage, hold it firmly. Draw it close with the chain of devotion. Destroyer of the cities, bind the intoxicated elephant of my heart to the post of your feet, Using the means of awareness.
04 / DETAILED MEANING
How the verse unfolds.
The heart becomes a powerful elephant that needs steady guidance. Courage, devotion and awareness work together; none is presented as sufficient merely as an idea. The force of the metaphor concerns attention and discipline, not hostility toward oneself or physical punishment.
EDITORIAL EXPLANATION · NOT A TRADITIONAL COMMENTARY
05 / DEEPER CONTEMPLATION
What combines courage with care when my attention runs wild?
Read this verse once more, then sit with the question. Notice the particular image or expression that holds your attention. You do not need to force an answer.
Keep a reflection or question ↓06 / THEMES & TATTVA
Connected themes
Editorial lenses; a verse may invite other readings.
Associated Tattva
A life gathered into practice
Courage, devotion and awareness guide the elephant of the heart toward the post of the feet. Steadiness and affection cooperate in discipline.
Explore this Tattva →07 / PERSONAL REFLECTION
A phrase, a question, a moment of understanding
What combines courage with care when my attention runs wild?
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