Shloka 46
पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्
The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara
बलाबल विनिश्चित्य तप एव परं बलम् | स राज्यं स्फीतमुत्सज्य तां च दीप्तां नृपश्रियम्,इस प्रकार बलाबलका विचार करके उन्होंने तपस्याको ही सर्वोत्तम बल निश्चत किया और अपने समृद्धिशाली राज्य तथा देदीप्यमान राज्यलक्ष्मीको छोड़कर, भोगोंको पीछे करके तपस्यामें ही मन लगाया। इस तपस्यासे सिद्धिको प्राप्त हो उद्दीप्त तेजवाले विश्वामित्रजीने अपने प्रभावसे सम्पूर्ण लोकोंको स्तब्ध एवं संतप्त कर दिया और (अन्ततोगत्वा) ब्राह्मणत्व प्राप्त कर लिया; फिर वे इन्द्रके साथ सोमपान करने लगे
balābala-viniścitya tapa eva paraṁ balam | sa rājyaṁ sphītam utsṛjya tāṁ ca dīptāṁ nṛpaśriyam |
Having carefully weighed what is strength and what is not, he concluded that austerity (tapas) alone is the highest power. Therefore he abandoned his flourishing kingdom and its radiant royal splendor, turned away from pleasures, and fixed his mind on ascetic practice. By the success born of that tapas, the blazing sage Viśvāmitra stunned and scorched the worlds with his spiritual radiance, and in the end attained the status of a brāhmaṇa; thereafter he even drank Soma together with Indra.
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the highest form of strength is not political power or wealth but tapas—disciplined self-control and sustained spiritual effort. It also implies that such inner power carries responsibility, since intense tapas can disturb the balance of the worlds.
A Gandharva recounts how Viśvāmitra, after judging true strength, renounced his prosperous kingdom and royal glory to pursue austerities. Through successful tapas he gained formidable spiritual radiance, affected the worlds, and ultimately attained brāhmaṇa-status, later sharing Soma-drinking with Indra.