Shloka 46
ते तपः समुपातिष्ठ न् ब्रह्मोक्तं वेदकल्पितम् । स महानियमो नाम तपश्चर्यासु दारुण:,वहाँ ब्रह्माजीके कथनानुसार उन सबने वेदोक्त रीतिसे तपस्या आरम्भ की। उनका वह महान् नियम सभी तपस्याओंमें कठोर था
te tapaḥ samupātiṣṭhan brahmoktaṁ vedakalpitam | sa mahāniyamo nāma tapaścaryāsu dāruṇaḥ ||
Allí, conforme a la orden de Brahmā, todos emprendieron austeridades según la disciplina prescrita por los Vedas. Aquella observancia—llamada la «Gran Regla»—era severa entre todas las prácticas ascéticas.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that austerity is not merely personal hardship but a disciplined practice grounded in authoritative dharma—here, explicitly aligned with Brahmā’s instruction and Vedic prescription. Ethical force comes from regulated self-restraint (niyama) undertaken in obedience to sacred order rather than from arbitrary self-mortification.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana reports that a group (previously introduced in the chapter) begins a Veda-sanctioned austerity as directed by Brahmā. Their observance is identified as a “Great Rule” (mahāniyama), distinguished by exceptional severity among ascetic practices.