Shloka 8
इस विषयमें विज्ञ पुरुष इस पुरातन इतिहासका उदाहरण दिया करते हैं, जिससे ज्ञात होता है कि महर्षि गालवने हठ या दुराग्रहके कारण पराजय प्राप्त की थी ।। विश्वामित्रं तपस्यन्तं धर्मो जिज्ञासया पुरा । अभ्यगच्छत् स्वयं भूत्वा वसिष्ठो भगवानृषि:,पहलेकी बात है, साक्षात् धर्मराज महर्षि भगवान् वसिष्ठका रूप धारण करके तपस्यामें लगे हुए विश्वामित्रके पास उनकी परीक्षा लेनेके लिये आये
iha viṣaye vijñāḥ puruṣāḥ purātanam itihāsam udāharaṇam dadati, yena jñāyate yat maharṣiḥ gālavaḥ haṭhāt durāgrahāc ca parājayam avāpa. viśvāmitraṃ tapasyantaṃ dharmo jijñāsayā purā abhyagacchat svayaṃ bhūtvā vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ.
On this matter, learned men cite an ancient historical example, from which it is understood that the great sage Gālava met with defeat because of stubborn insistence and obstinate resolve. Long ago, when Viśvāmitra was engaged in austerities, Dharma—wishing to test and understand him—approached him by assuming the form of the venerable sage Vasiṣṭha.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that rigid stubbornness (haṭha, durāgraha) leads to downfall, and it frames ethical discernment through an exemplary story: Dharma itself tests even great ascetics, implying that true righteousness includes humility and responsiveness, not mere force of will.
Nārada introduces an ancient example to explain a moral point: he says that Gālava’s defeat arose from obstinacy, and then begins the illustrative tale—Dharma, seeking to examine Viśvāmitra during his austerities, approaches him by taking on the appearance of the sage Vasiṣṭha.