Shloka 15
Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency
Mahābhārata 12.292
महर्षि उशना देवाधिदेव महादेवजीको प्रसन्न करके उनके शुक्रत्वको प्राप्त हो उसी नामसे प्रसिद्ध हुए। साथ ही पार्वतीदेवीकी स्तुति करके वे यशस्वी मुनि आकाशभमें ग्रहरूपसे स्थित हो आनन्द भोग रहे हैं ।।
maharṣi uśanā devādhideva-mahādevaṃ jīkaḥ prasannaṃ kṛtvā tasya śukratvaṃ prāptaḥ; tenaiva nāmnā prasiddho 'bhavat. sārdhaṃ ca pārvatīdevyāḥ stutiṃ kṛtvā sa yaśasvī muniḥ ākāśe graharūpeṇa sthitvā ānandaṃ bhuṅkte. asito devalaś caiva tathā nārada-parvatau | kakṣīvān jāmadagnyaś ca rāmas tāṇḍyas tathātmavān | vasiṣṭho jāmadagnir viśvāmitro 'trir bharadvājaḥ | hariśmaśruḥ kuṇḍadhāraḥ śrutaśravāś ca te maharṣayaḥ | ekāgracittā vedar̥gbhir bhagavato viṣṇoḥ stutiṃ kṛtvā, tasyaiva buddhimato śrīhareḥ kṛpayā tapasā siddhiṃ prāpuḥ ||
Dijo Parāśara: El gran sabio Uśanā (Śukra) obtuvo el favor de Mahādeva, el Dios de los dioses, y así alcanzó el estado de “Śukra”; por ese mismo nombre se hizo célebre. Y tras alabar también a la Diosa Pārvatī, aquel muni ilustre mora ahora en el firmamento en forma de planeta, gozando de dicha celestial. Del mismo modo Asita, Devala, Nārada y Parvata, Kakṣīvān, Rāma Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma), el autocontrolado Tāṇḍya, y otros grandes ṛṣis—Vasiṣṭha, Jamadagni, Viśvāmitra, Atri, Bharadvāja, Hariśmaśru, Kuṇḍadhāra y Śrutaśravā—con la mente unificada en concentración, alabaron al Señor Viṣṇu con himnos védicos; y por la gracia de ese sabio Śrīhari, practicaron austeridad y alcanzaron la realización espiritual.
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Spiritual accomplishment (siddhi) arises from disciplined austerity joined with one-pointed devotion and is ultimately fulfilled by divine grace. The verse also models reverence across traditions: Śiva grants Śukra his status, while many ṛṣis attain success through praising Viṣṇu with Vedic hymns.
Parāśara recounts how the sage Uśanā pleased Mahādeva and became famed as Śukra, later dwelling in the sky as a planet. He then lists renowned sages who, concentrating their minds, praised Viṣṇu through Vedic ṛks and—by Śrīhari’s grace—achieved success in their tapas.