Shloka 22

Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala

On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving

Devanagari script

एवं योगबलाद्‌ विप्रो मोहयामास पार्थिवम्‌ । क्षणेन तद्‌ वनं॑ चैव ते चैवाप्सरसां गणा:

Transliteration

evaṁ yogabalād vipro mohayāmāsa pārthivam | kṣaṇena tad vanaṁ caiva te caivāpsarasāṁ gaṇāḥ |

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „So versetzte der brahmanische Weise den König durch die Kraft seines Yoga in Verblendung. In einem einzigen Augenblick verschwanden jener Wald und eben jene Scharen der Apsaras aus dem Blick.“

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'evaṁ', 'definition': 'thus

• in this manner'}, {'term': 'yogabalāt', 'definition': 'from/through the strength of yoga

• by yogic power'}, {'term': 'vipraḥ', 'definition': 'brahmin

• learned/holy man (here: a sage)'}, {'term': 'mohayāmāsa', 'definition': 'caused to be deluded

• bewildered (causative of √muh)'}, {'term': 'pārthivam', 'definition': 'the king

• ruler of the earth'}, {'term': 'kṣaṇena', 'definition': 'in an instant

• within a moment'}, {'term': 'tad vanam', 'definition': 'that forest'}, {'term': 'āpsarasām gaṇāḥ', 'definition': 'companies/troops of Apsarases (celestial nymphs)'}, {'term': 'caiva', 'definition': 'and indeed

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• a brahmin-sage (vipra)
• king (pārthiva)
• forest (vana)
• Apsarases (āpsaras-gaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly power and royal authority are limited; yogic/ascetic mastery can dispel pride and induce moha to correct wrongdoing. The ethical thrust is humility before dharma and restraint before spiritual potency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that a brahmin-sage, using yogic power, bewilders the king; instantly the forest scene and the Apsarases’ host disappear from view, signaling the sage’s control over perception and the king’s chastening.