Shloka 62
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
तत्राश्रमपदे श्रेष्ठे सर्वभूतमनोरमे । सेविते द्विजशार्टूलैवेंदवेदाड़पारगै:
tatrāśramapade śreṣṭhe sarvabhūtamanorame | sevite dvijaśārdūlaiḥ vedavedāṅgapāragaiḥ ||
There, in that excellent hermitage—delightful to all living beings—frequented by foremost Brahmins who had mastered the Vedas and their auxiliary disciplines, I entered and beheld Upamanyu: a jewel among Brahmins, wearing matted locks and bark-garments, radiant and powerful, blazing like fire through austerity, serene in disposition, and in the vigor of youth, seated surrounded by his disciples.
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
True authority in dharma is grounded in tapas (austerity), serenity, and mastery of sacred knowledge. The verse presents the hermitage as an ethical ideal where learning and self-restraint cultivate spiritual radiance and leadership.
Vāsudeva enters a renowned hermitage frequented by eminent Vedic scholars and sees the sage Upamanyu—an ascetic in bark-garments with matted hair—seated calmly, shining with the power of austerity, and surrounded by his disciples.