Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
तं तु दृष्टवा वचः प्राह ब्रह्मा राजन् भगीरथम् । कथं भगीरथागास्त्वमिमं लोकं॑ दुरासदम्
taṁ tu dṛṣṭvā vacaḥ prāha brahmā rājan bhagīratham | kathaṁ bhagīrathāgās tvam imaṁ lokaṁ durāsadam, rājan ||
Al verlo, Brahmā se dirigió al rey Bhagīratha: «Oh rey, este mundo es de acceso dificilísimo; ¿cómo has llegado hasta aquí?»
भीष्म उवाच
Access to higher realms is portrayed as rare and difficult (durāsada), implying that extraordinary merit, discipline, and dharmic purpose are required; even a great king’s arrival there invites scrutiny about the means and worthiness.
Bhīṣma narrates that Brahmā sees King Bhagīratha present in a hard-to-reach divine realm and questions him directly about how he managed to arrive there.