Shloka 313
अर्जुनस्य इन्द्रकीलगमनम् तथा शक्रसाक्षात्कारः
Arjuna’s journey to Indrakīla and encounter with Indra
उमापतिर्भूतपतिर्वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह । “वे अपनी तपस्याके संतापसे हम सब महर्षियोंको संतप्त कर रहे हैं। अत: आप उन्हें तपस्यासे सद्भावपूर्वक निवृत्त कीजिये।” पवित्र चित्तवाले उन महर्षियोंका यह वचन सुनकर भूतनाथ भगवान् शंकर इस प्रकार बोले--
vaiśampāyana uvāca | umāpatir bhūtapatiḥ vākyam etad uvāca ha | “te sva-tapasyā-santāpena asmān sarvān maharṣīn santāpayanti | ataḥ bhavān tān tapasyāḥ sadbhāva-pūrvakaṃ nivartayatu” iti | pavitra-cittavānāṃ teṣāṃ maharṣīṇāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā bhūtanāthaḥ bhagavān śaṅkaraḥ evam uvāca —
Vaiśampāyana said: Umāpati, the Lord of beings, spoke these words: “By the heat of their austerities they are afflicting all of us great seers. Therefore, please, with goodwill and respect, turn them back from their penance.” Hearing this request of those sages whose minds were pure, Śaṅkara, the Blessed Lord and Master of spirits and creatures, replied as follows.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Austerity (tapas) is powerful and can affect others; therefore spiritual practice should be guided by goodwill and restraint, and when it becomes harmful or disruptive, it is dharmic to counsel moderation rather than celebrate excess.
The sages complain that certain ascetics’ intense penance is ‘burning’ and troubling the assembled great seers. They request Śiva (Umāpati/Bhūtapati) to kindly make those practitioners desist. Śiva hears them and prepares to respond.