Shloka 3
युधिष्ठिरप्रश्नः—विश्वामित्रस्य ब्राह्मणत्वकौतूहलम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Viśvāmitra’s Attainment of Brāhmaṇya
तेन हामितवीर्येण वसिष्ठस्य महात्मन: । हतं॑ पुत्रशतं सद्यस्तपसापि पितामह,पितामह! अमित पराक्रमी विश्वामित्रने अपनी तपस्याके प्रभावसे महात्मा वसिष्ठके सौ पुत्रोंको तत्काल नष्ट कर दिया था इति श्रीमहाभारते अनुशासनपर्वणि दानधर्मपर्वणि विश्वामित्रोपाख्याने तृतीयो5ध्याय:
tena amita-vīryeṇa vasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ | hataṃ putra-śataṃ sadyas tapasā api pitāmaha pitāmaha ||
يا جدّي! إنّ ذلك الرجلَ ذا البأس الذي لا يُقاس—فيشواميترا—بقوة تَقَشُّفِه (tapas) قد أهلك في الحال مئةَ ابنٍ للقدّيس العظيم فاسيشثا. ويُبرز هذا الموضع أنّ التَّبَس، إذا ساقته المنافسةُ والغضب، قد يصير أداةً رهيبةً للإيذاء بدل أن يكون سبيلًا لتهذيب النفس وإقامة الدَّرْمَا.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that spiritual power (tapas) is ethically ambivalent: it can uphold dharma when guided by restraint and right intention, but when fueled by hostility it can cause grave adharma-like harm. True greatness lies not merely in power, but in its disciplined, righteous use.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma and recalls an episode from the Viśvāmitra narrative: Viśvāmitra, famed for immense prowess and ascetic potency, annihilated the hundred sons of the sage Vasiṣṭha instantly through the force of his austerities.