Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 57, Shloka 8
विश्वामित्रस्य दक्षिणतपः तथा त्रिशङ्कोः स्वशरीरेण स्वर्गगमनाभिलाषः
Visvamitra’s Southern Austerity and Trisanku’s Bodily Ascent Aspiration
तपश्च सुमहत्तप्तं राजर्षिरिति मां विदु:।देवास्सर्षिगणास्सर्वे नास्ति मन्ये तप:फलम्।।1.57.8।।
tapaś ca sumahat taptaṃ rājarṣir iti māṃ viduḥ |
devāḥ sarṣigaṇāḥ sarve nāsti manye tapaḥ-phalam ||1.57.8||
«He practicado una austeridad inmensamente grande; y, sin embargo, todos los dioses, junto con las huestes de ṛṣis, me conocen sólo como rājārṣi. Pienso que mi penitencia no da fruto.»
"I have performed intense austerities. Yet rishis and devatas have recognised me only as a rajarshi. I think my penance has yielded fruit.
FAQs
Dharma warns against measuring righteousness only by external validation; true spiritual fruit is inner transformation, not merely titles granted by others.
Viśvāmitra laments that despite intense tapas, he is still addressed as a rājarṣi, setting up his decision to pursue even greater austerity.
Perseverance—though mixed with wounded pride—showing an unyielding will to reach a higher spiritual ideal.