Shloka 21
Vasiṣṭhāpavāha: Sarasvatī’s Diversion and Viśvāmitra’s Curse (वसिष्ठापवाहः)
तेन ते हूयमानस्य राष्ट्रस्यास्य क्षयो महान् । तस्यैतत् तपस: कर्म येन तेडद्य लयो महान्
tena te hūyamānasya rāṣṭrasyāsya kṣayo mahān | tasyaitat tapasaḥ karma yena te 'dya layo mahān, krodhena mahatāviṣṭo dharmātmā vai pratāpavān |
Vaiśaṃpāyana dijo: “Porque tu reino está siendo, por así decirlo, ofrecido al fuego por él, una gran destrucción ha caído sobre esta tierra. Esto es la obra de su austeridad (tapas): por ella, hoy ha comenzado para ti una gran disolución. Presa de una ira poderosa, ese asceta justo y fuerte ha provocado esta ruina mediante la fuerza de su tapas.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral-psychological tension that even a dharmic, powerful ascetic can become an instrument of destruction when seized by intense anger; tapas is ethically potent and can yield fearful consequences when aligned with wrath.
Vaiśaṃpāyana explains to the listener that the present ruin of the kingdom is occurring as though it were being offered as an oblation—an effect attributed to the force of an enraged, righteous ascetic’s austerity.