Vyāsa’s Inquiry into Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Tapas and the Identification of Vidura with Dharma
न चोत्सहे तपोविध्नं कर्तु ते धर्मचारिणि । तपसो हि परं नास्ति तपसा विन्दते महत्
na cotsahe tapovidhnaṁ kartu te dharmacāriṇi | tapaso hi paraṁ nāsti tapasā vindate mahat ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: «أيتها السيدة السائرة على الدharma، لا يطاوعني قلبي أن أضع عائقًا أمام نسكك وتقشفك. فليس شيء أسمى من التَّبَس (tapas)؛ وبالزهد والرياضة الروحية يُنال الخير الأعلى».
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse elevates tapas (austerity/discipline) as a supreme spiritual means and an ethical value: one should not obstruct another’s sincere ascetic practice, because tapas leads to the highest good.
Vaiśampāyana reports a speaker addressing a righteous woman engaged in austerities, declaring that he will not interfere with her tapas and affirming its unsurpassed power to yield the greatest attainment.