Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ऑपन--माज बछ। अप ऋाल आज एकोनत्रिशो& ध्याय: मतड़की तपस्या और इन्द्रका उसे वरदान देना भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्तो मतड़स्तु संशितात्मा यतव्रत: । सहस्रमेकपादेन ततो ध्याने व्यतिष्ठत,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--युधिष्ठिर! इन्द्रके ऐसा कहनेपर मतंग अपने मनको और भी दृढ़ और संयमशील बनाकर एक हजार वर्षोतक एक पैरसे ध्यान लगाये खड़ा रहा

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | evam ukto mataṅgas tu saṃśitātmā yatavrataḥ | sahasram ekapādena tato dhyāne vyatiṣṭhata ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: So angesprochen, verharrte der Weise Mataṅga — mit fest gezügeltem Geist und streng bewahrten Gelübden — daraufhin tausend Jahre lang in Versenkung, auf einem einzigen Fuß stehend. Die Stelle hebt das ethische Ideal unbeirrbarer Selbstbeherrschung hervor: Wird man geprüft oder von einer höheren Macht unterwiesen, so antwortet man nicht mit Streit, sondern mit vertiefter innerer Disziplin und unerschütterlicher Askese.

Word by Word

• {'bhīṣma uvāca': 'Bhishma said', 'evam': 'thus, in this manner', 'uktaḥ': 'spoken to, addressed', 'mataṅgaḥ': 'Mataṅga (a sage/ascetic)', 'tu': 'but, indeed', 'saṃśita-ātmā': 'one whose self/mind is well-restrained

• disciplined in spirit', 'yata-vrataḥ': 'one of controlled vows

• observing strict restraints', 'sahasram': 'a thousand', 'eka-pādena': 'with one foot

• standing on a single foot', 'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'dhyāne': 'in meditation, contemplation', 'vyatiṣṭhata': 'stood firm

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Mataṅga

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that true spiritual and ethical strength is shown through disciplined self-restraint (saṃśitātmā, yatavrataḥ) and unwavering perseverance in austerity and meditation, especially when one is challenged or instructed.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being addressed (contextually by a higher authority), the sage Mataṅga intensifies his resolve and undertakes a severe penance: he stands on one foot and remains absorbed in meditation for a thousand years.