महाभारत - शान्ति - आत्म जेयः

आत्मा जेयः सदा राज्ञा ततो जेयाश्च शत्रवः ।
अजितात्मा नरपतिर्विजयेत कथं रिपून् ॥

- महाभारत, शान्ति

aatma jeyaH sadA rAjnA tato jeyashcha shatravaH ।
ajitAtmA narapatiH vijayeta katham ripUn ॥

- mahAbhArata, shAnti

One must defeat himself (senses) first. Then he can think about defeating his enemies. If one can not defeat his own senses how can he defeat external enemies?

- Mahabharata, Shanti

अभिवनगुप्त - को भवानिति

आत्मानमनभिज्ञाय विवेक्तुं योऽन्यदिच्छति ।
तेन भौतेन किं वाच्यं प्रश्नेऽस्मिन् को भवानिति ॥

- अभिवनगुप्त

Atmanam anabhijnAya vivektum yo anyat icChati ।
tena bhautena kim vAchyam prashne asmin ko bhavAn iti ॥

- abhinavagupta

One wants to learn about the world without understanding the self. What will you expect to hear from such a person if you ask "Who are you?".

- Abhinavagupta

महाभारत - सभा - स्वयं प्रज्ञा

यस्य नास्ति स्वयं प्रज्ञा केवलं तु बहुश्रुतः ।
न स जानाति शास्त्रार्थं दर्वी सूपरसानिव ॥

- महाभारत, सभा

yasya nAsti svayaM prajnA kevalaM tu bahushrutaH ।
na sa jAnAti shAstra arthaM darvI sUparasAn iva ॥

- mahAbhArata, sabhA

One can not be called a wise man if he does not understand himself. He can only be called well read. He can not understand the deeper meanings of any scriptures - just like the spoon does not know the taste of the dish.

- Mahabharatha, Sabha

हितोपदेश - विग्रह - स्वयं प्रज्ञा

यस्य नास्ति स्वयं प्रज्ञा शास्त्रं तस्य करोति किं ।
लोचनाभ्यां विहीनस्य दर्पणः किं करिष्यति ॥

- हितोपदेश, विग्र

yasya nAsti svayaM prajnA shAstraM tasya karoti kim ।
lochanAbhyAM vihInasya darpaNaH kiM kariShyati ॥

- hitopadesha, vigraha

The scriptures can not help anyone who does not himself. What good is a mirror for one who has no eyes.

- Hitopadesha, Vigraha

योगवासिष्ठ - वैराग्य - आत्मविदः

भारोऽविवेकिनः शास्त्रं भारो ज्ञानं च रागिणः ।
अशान्तस्य मनो भारः भारोऽनात्मविदो वपुः ॥

- योगवासिष्ठ, वैराग्य

An idiot would find the scriptures heavy. A person who enjoys worldly pleasures finds knowledge heavy and unbearable. A restless man finds his mind heavy. If one does not know his self, he will find his body heavy.

- Yogavasishta, Vairagya

आत्म ज्ञान

अधीत्य चतुरो वेदान् व्याकृत्याष्टादश स्मृतीः ।
अहो श्रमस्य वैफल्यं आत्मापि कलितो न चीत् ॥

All effort of understanding the four vedas and studying eighteen puranas are all in vain if one does not understand the self (Atma).