Shloka 32
Suvarṇa-dāna: Kārttikeya’s Origin and the Defeat of Tāraka (सुवर्णदान-प्रसङ्गे कार्त्तिकेय-उत्पत्ति तथा तारकवधः)
किमर्थ तप्यसे देवि तपो घोरमनिन्दिते । प्रीतस्ते5हं महाभागे तपसानेन शो भने,'सती-साथ्वी देवी! तुम किसलिये यह घोर तपस्या करती हो? शोभने! महाभागे! मैं तुम्हारी इस तपस्यासे बहुत संतुष्ट हूँ। देवि! तुम इच्छानुसार वर माँगो।” पुरंदर! इस तरह मैंने सुरभीको वर माँगनेके लिये प्रेरित किया
kimartha tapyase devi tapo ghoram anindite | prītas te 'haṃ mahābhāge tapasānena śobhane ||
Bhīṣma said: “O Goddess, blameless one—why do you afflict yourself with such severe austerity? O splendid, greatly fortunate lady, I am well pleased with you because of this penance. O Devi, ask for a boon according to your desire.” Thus, O Purandara, I urged Surabhī to ask for a boon.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Severe austerity (tapas) is portrayed as spiritually efficacious and capable of winning divine approval; when such merit is acknowledged, it is ethically framed as deserving a boon aligned with one’s rightful desire.
Bhīṣma narrates a scene in which he addresses a goddess-like, virtuous figure (Surabhī), asks why she undertakes harsh austerities, declares his satisfaction with her tapas, and encourages her—before Indra (Puraṃdara)—to request a boon.