Shloka 16

Daśagrīva-boonāvaraṇa, Viṣṇv-avatāra-niyoga, Vānara-sahāya-janana, Mantharā-nirmāṇa

Devanagari script

तपसो हि परं नास्ति तपसा विन्दते महत्‌

Transliteration

tapaso hi paraṃ nāsti tapasā vindate mahat

Translation

Dijo Vaiśampāyana: «No hay nada más alto que el tapas, la disciplina ascética; por el tapas se alcanza lo verdaderamente grande».

Word by Word

• तपसः: of austerity / than austerity
• तपसः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• परम्: higher (thing) / superior
• परम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अस्ति: is / exists
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• विन्दते: finds / obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• महत्: a great (thing) / great (result)
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts the supremacy of tapas—disciplined austerity and self-restraint—as the highest means of moral and spiritual elevation, by which one gains ‘mahat’, true greatness or a great attainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, this line functions as a doctrinal emphasis within the Vana Parva context, underscoring that sustained ascetic effort is a paramount path to achieving extraordinary results and inner excellence.