Shloka 20

Devanagari script

उनके हृदय बड़े उदार थे, उनके आचार और कर्म दूसरोंके लिये आचरणमें लानेमें अत्यन्त कठिन थे, अतः उनका सारा शुभ कर्म ही अक्षय मोक्षरूप फल देनेवाला था। यह बात सदा हमारे सुननेमें आयी है ।। स्वकर्मभि: सम्भूतानां तपो घोरत्वमागतम्‌ । त॑ सदाचारमाश्चर्य पुराणं शाश्व॒तं ध्रुवम्‌

Transliteration

svakarmabhiḥ sambhūtānāṃ tapo ghoratvam āgatam | tat sadācāram āścaryaṃ purāṇaṃ śāśvataṃ dhruvam ||

Translation

Kapila sprach: „Aus ihren eigenen rechten Werken erwuchs eine Askese (tapas), die in ihrer Intensität gewaltig und furchtgebietend wurde. Jene wunderbare Zucht des guten Wandels ist uralt, ewig und unerschütterlich begründet.“

Word by Word

स्वकर्मभिःby (their) own deeds

सम्भूतानाम्of those who have arisen/come into being

तपःausterity, penance

घोरत्वम्terribleness, extreme intensity

आगतम्has attained/has come to

तत्that

सदाचारम्good conduct

आश्चर्यम्wonderful, astonishing

पुराणम्ancient

शाश्वतम्eternal

ध्रुवम्certain, fixed

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kapila

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True austerity is not merely harsh self-denial; it can arise naturally from steadfast performance of one’s own rightful duties. Such sadācāra (ethical discipline) is portrayed as an ancient, enduring foundation that reliably leads toward the highest good.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kapila is describing a tradition of exemplary people whose inner greatness and conduct were difficult to imitate. He emphasizes that their intense tapas was generated by their own proper actions, and he presents their established good conduct as a timeless, authoritative standard.