Shloka 5
संधेयासंधेय-पुरुषनिर्णयः (Criteria for Allies and Non-Allies) — with the opening of the Gautama narrative
यद् दुरापं भवेत् किंचित् तत् सर्व तपसो भवेत् । ऐश्वर्यमृषय: प्राप्तास्तपसैव न संशय:,संसारमें जो कुछ भी दुर्लभ वस्तु हो, वह सब तपस्यासे सुलभ हो सकती है। ऋषियोंने तपस्यासे ही अणिमा आदि अष्टविध ऐश्वर्यको प्राप्त किया है, इसमें संशय नहीं है
yad durāpaṁ bhavet kiñcit tat sarvaṁ tapaso bhavet | aiśvaryam ṛṣayaḥ prāptās tapasaiva na saṁśayaḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: Whatever is difficult to obtain in this world—everything becomes attainable through tapas, austerity. The sages have indeed gained extraordinary powers and lofty attainments through tapas alone; of this there is no doubt.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Tapas—disciplined austerity and self-restraint—is presented as a powerful means by which even the most difficult goals become attainable; the sages’ extraordinary attainments are cited as proof.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira, emphasizing the efficacy of tapas and pointing to the ṛṣis as exemplars who achieved great powers through ascetic discipline.