Shloka 15
बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency
Mahābhārata 12.217
त्रैलोक्यं तपसा व्याप्तमन्तर्भूतेन भास्वता । सूर्यश्च चन्द्रमाश्नैव भासतस्तपसा दिवि,आन्तरिक तप चैतन्यमय प्रकाशसे युक्त है। उसके द्वारा तीनों लोक व्याप्त हैं। आकाशमें सूर्य और चन्द्रमा भी तपसे ही प्रकाशित हो रहे हैं
trailokyaṁ tapasā vyāptam antarbhūtena bhāsvatā | sūryaś ca candramāś caiva bhāsatas tapasā divi ||
Bhishma sprach: Die drei Welten sind vom Tapas durchdrungen — einer inneren, leuchtenden geistigen Glut, die im Innern weilt. Am Himmel strahlen selbst Sonne und Mond durch die Kraft des Tapas.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Tapas is portrayed as an indwelling luminous power that pervades and sustains the cosmos; ethical-spiritual discipline is not merely personal effort but a force that supports order, clarity, and rightful living (dharma).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction, Bhishma explains to Yudhishthira the greatness of tapas, using a cosmic image: the three worlds are filled with it, and even the sun and moon are said to shine through its power.