Shloka 17
Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency
Mahābhārata 12.292
एते महर्षय: स्तुत्वा विष्णुमृग्भि: समाहिता: । लेभिरे तपसा सिद्धि प्रसादात् तस्य धीमत:
ete maharṣayaḥ stutvā viṣṇum ṛgbhiḥ samāhitāḥ | lebhire tapasā siddhiṃ prasādāt tasya dhīmataḥ ||
Parāśara said: “Those great seers, having praised Viṣṇu with Vedic hymns in a state of concentrated mind, attained spiritual accomplishment through their austerities—by the gracious favor of that wise Lord. (Among them were) Asita, Devala, Nārada, Parvata, Kakṣīvān, Paraśurāma the son of Jamadagni, Tāṇḍya who is said to have mastery over the mind, Vasiṣṭha, Jamadagni, Viśvāmitra, Atri, Bharadvāja, Hariśmaśru, Kuṇḍadhāra, and Śrutaśravā.”
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Austerity (tapas) becomes truly fruitful when joined with focused devotion and Vedic praise; the decisive factor behind siddhi is the Lord’s prasāda (grace), not mere personal effort alone.
Parāśara lists renowned ṛṣis and states that they worshiped Viṣṇu with Ṛgvedic hymns in deep concentration, and through that devotion and their austerities they attained spiritual success by Viṣṇu’s favor.