Shloka 17
Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency
Mahābhārata 12.292
एते महर्षय: स्तुत्वा विष्णुमृग्भि: समाहिता: । लेभिरे तपसा सिद्धि प्रसादात् तस्य धीमत:
ete maharṣayaḥ stutvā viṣṇum ṛgbhiḥ samāhitāḥ | lebhire tapasā siddhiṃ prasādāt tasya dhīmataḥ ||
Dijo Parāśara: «Aquellos grandes rishis, tras alabar a Viṣṇu con himnos védicos en estado de mente concentrada, alcanzaron la realización por medio de sus austeridades, gracias al favor de ese Señor sabio. (Entre ellos estaban) Asita, Devala, Nārada, Parvata, Kakṣīvān, Paraśurāma hijo de Jamadagni, Tāṇḍya —de quien se dice que dominaba la mente—, Vasiṣṭha, Jamadagni, Viśvāmitra, Atri, Bharadvāja, Hariśmaśru, Kuṇḍadhāra y Śrutaśravā.»
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Austerity (tapas) becomes truly fruitful when joined with focused devotion and Vedic praise; the decisive factor behind siddhi is the Lord’s prasāda (grace), not mere personal effort alone.
Parāśara lists renowned ṛṣis and states that they worshiped Viṣṇu with Ṛgvedic hymns in deep concentration, and through that devotion and their austerities they attained spiritual success by Viṣṇu’s favor.