Shloka 16
Adhyāya 189: Japa—Inquiry into the Jāpaka, Method
Vidhi), and Fruit (Phala
ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मतन्त्रस्थास्तपस्तेषां न नश्यति । ब्रह्म धारयतां नित्य॑ं व्रतानि नियमांस्तथा
brāhmaṇā brahmatantrasthās tapas teṣāṃ na naśyati | brahma dhārayatāṃ nityaṃ vratāni niyamāṃs tathā ||
ভৰদ্বাজে ক’লে—যিসকল ব্ৰাহ্মণে বেদবিধিৰ আজ্ঞাৰ অধীন হৈ কৰ্ম কৰে, ব্ৰহ্মক নিত্য স্মৰণ-জপে ধাৰণ কৰে আৰু ব্ৰত-নিয়ম দৃঢ়ভাৱে পালন কৰে, তেওঁলোকৰ তপস্যাৰ ফল কেতিয়াও নষ্ট নহয়; কিয়নো ই সদাচাৰ আৰু ধৰ্মনিষ্ঠাত মূল গাঁথি থাকে।
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
Austerity bears lasting fruit when it is grounded in Brahman/Vedic discipline—i.e., when one lives under scriptural guidance, maintains constant remembrance/holding of Brahman, and practices vows (vrata) and restraints (niyama). Such tapas is not wasted or destroyed.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Bharadvāja states a principle about spiritual practice: brāhmaṇas who remain firmly established in Vedic-spiritual discipline and consistent observances retain the enduring merit of their austerities.