Shloka 16
Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency
Mahābhārata 12.292
वसिष्ठो जमदन्निश्ष विश्वामित्रो$त्रिरेव च | भरद्वाजो हरिश्मश्रु: कुण्डधार: श्रुतश्रवा:
vasiṣṭho jamadagniś ca viśvāmitro ’trir eva ca | bharadvājo hariśmaśruḥ kuṇḍadhāraḥ śrutaśravāḥ | asito devalo nāradaḥ parvataḥ kakṣīvān jamadagninandanaḥ paraśurāmaḥ tāṇḍyaś ca manasaḥ vaśam ānayan | ete maharṣayaḥ samāhitacittā vedar̥gbhiḥ bhagavantaṃ viṣṇuṃ stutvā tasyaiva buddhimato śrīhareḥ kṛpayā tapasā siddhiṃ prāpuḥ ||
Dijo Parāśara: Vasiṣṭha, Jamadagni, Viśvāmitra, Atri, Bharadvāja, Hariśmaśru, Kuṇḍadhāra, Śrutaśravā, Asita, Devala, Nārada, Parvata, Kakṣīvān, Rāma hijo de Jamadagni (Paraśurāma) y Tāṇḍya, capaz de someter la mente: estos grandes rishis, con la mente concentrada, alabaron al Señor Viṣṇu mediante versos ṛk del Veda. Por la gracia del sabio Śrīhari, practicaron austeridad y alcanzaron la realización espiritual.
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Spiritual accomplishment (siddhi) arises from disciplined austerity supported by focused mind (samāhita-citta) and devotion expressed through Vedic praise; grace (kṛpā) of Śrīhari is presented as the enabling power behind success.
Parāśara lists renowned sages who, gathering their minds, praise Lord Viṣṇu with Vedic ṛk-verses and, through His grace, undertake tapas and attain siddhi—serving as exemplars of devotional discipline.