यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः ।इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
yadā saṃharate cāyaṃ kūrmo 'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ |indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||
- यदा · yadā
- when
- संहरते · saṃharate
- withdraws
- च · ca
- and
- अयम् · ayam
- this one (the sage)
- कूर्मः · kūrmaḥ
- a tortoise
- अङ्गानि · aṅgāni
- limbs
- इव · iva
- like, as
- सर्वशः · sarvaśaḥ
- wholly, on all sides
- इन्द्रियाणि · indriyāṇi
- the senses
- इन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः · indriyārthebhyaḥ
- from sense-objects
- तस्य · tasya
- his
- प्रज्ञा · prajñā
- wisdom
- प्रतिष्ठिता · pratiṣṭhitā
- is firmly established
“When one withdraws the senses from sense-objects on every side, as a tortoise draws in its limbs — such a one's wisdom stands firmly established.”
— Original plain-language translation
The tortoise — withdrawal at will, not amputation: limbs intact, extended when needed, retracted when not. Sense-mastery here is control, not destruction; the sage keeps every faculty and lends them out on purpose.
— Reader's notes (original)