Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40
गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
वसिष्ठमुनिना तेन हतप्रायान्निरीक्ष्य सः । प्रहसन्प्राह सगरः स्वगुरुं तपसो निधिम् ॥ ४० ॥
vasiṣṭhamuninā tena hataprāyānnirīkṣya saḥ | prahasanprāha sagaraḥ svaguruṃ tapaso nidhim || 40 ||
Als König Sagara sah, dass sie durch jenen Weisen Vasiṣṭha beinahe vernichtet waren, lächelte er und sprach zu seinem eigenen Guru — Vasiṣṭha, einer wahren Schatzkammer der Askese.
Suta (narrator) describing King Sagara’s action within the Narada Purana narrative frame
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: hasya
FAQs
It highlights the supremacy of tapas and guru-tejas: even royal power yields before a realized sage, and dharmic conduct is shown by approaching one’s guru with recognition of his spiritual authority.
Indirectly, it models surrender and reverence—key bhakti attitudes—by showing Sagara turning toward his guru (a sacred representative of dharma) rather than reacting with pride or retaliation.
The verse underscores the traditional guru-śiṣya framework that supports Vedāṅga transmission (especially Śikṣā and Vyākaraṇa through disciplined study), emphasizing that learning and authority are grounded in tapas and lineage.