The Bhagavadgîtâ, with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ — SBE Vol. 8 (trans. K. T. Telang, 1882)
The translator’s English as printed (K. T. Telang). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
The mind said:
These arrows, O Alarka! will not penetrate through me at all. They will only pierce your own vital part, and your vital part being pierced, you will die. Look out for other arrows by which you may destroy me.
Hearing that, he then spoke these words after consideration :—
Alarka said:
Smelling very many perfumes, one hankers after them only. Therefore I will cast sharp arrows at the nose.
The nose? said:
These arrows, O Alarka! will not penetrate through me at all. They will only pierce your own vital part, and your vital part being pierced, you will die. Look out for other arrows by which you may destroy me.
Hearing that, he then spoke these words after them only. Therefore I will cast sharp arrows at the tongue.
consideration :— Alarka said: Enjoying savory tastes, this (tongue) hankers after
1 This and the other corresponding words must be understood to refer not to the physical nose and so forth, but the sense seated there. The nose here, for instance, stands for the sense of smell. Nîlakaṇṭha understands all these words of Alarka as indicating the so-called Haṭha-yoga, which, he adds, invariably occasions death. As to the throwing of arrows at the mind, he says, it means, ‘I will subdue the mind by the restraint of the excretive organs by means of the Haṭha-yoga And finally he says, ‘A man, having restrained all the senses by means of the Haṭha-yoga, merely droops away ; becoming deficient in those senses, he does not accomplish his end.’
The mind said:
These arrows, O Alarka, will not pierce me at all. They will only strike your own vital part, and once your vital part is struck, you will die. Look for other arrows that can destroy me.
Hearing that, he thought it over and then spoke these words:—
Alarka said:
Smelling a great many perfumes only makes one crave more of them. So I will shoot sharp arrows at the nose.
The nose? said:
These arrows, O Alarka, will not pierce me at all. They will only strike your own vital part, and once your vital part is struck, you will die. Look for other arrows that can destroy me.
Hearing that, he then spoke only these words in reply. Therefore I will shoot sharp arrows at the tongue.
Alarka said: Tasting savory flavors, this tongue hankers after
1 Throughout this passage, words like "nose" and so on must be understood as referring not to the physical organs but to the senses located in them — "nose," for instance, stands for the sense of smell. Nîlakaṇṭha takes all of Alarka's words here as describing what is called Haṭha-yoga, which, he adds, invariably results in death. On the image of shooting arrows at the mind, he explains: "I will subdue the mind by restraining the excretive organs through Haṭha-yoga." And his final conclusion is: "A man who has restrained all the senses by means of Haṭha-yoga simply wastes away; deprived of those senses, he fails to achieve his goal."