Shloka 15
Āgnīdhra Meets Pūrvacitti and Begets the Nine Sons of Jambūdvīpa
रूपं तपोधन तपश्चरतां तपोघ्नंह्येतत्तु केन तपसा भवतोपलब्धम् । चर्तुं तपोऽर्हसि मया सह मित्र मह्यंकिं वा प्रसीदति स वै भवभावनो मे ॥ १५ ॥
rūpaṁ tapodhana tapaś caratāṁ tapoghnaṁ hy etat tu kena tapasā bhavatopalabdham cartuṁ tapo ’rhasi mayā saha mitra mahyaṁ kiṁ vā prasīdati sa vai bhava-bhāvano me
Ô toi, riche en austérités, cette beauté merveilleuse renverse même l’ascèse des autres; par quelle pénitence l’as-tu obtenue? Où as-tu appris cet art? Mon amie, tu es digne de pratiquer l’austérité avec moi; peut-être Brahmā, créateur de l’univers, satisfait de moi, t’a-t-il envoyée pour devenir mon épouse.
Āgnīdhra appreciated the wonderful beauty of Pūrvacitti. Indeed, he was surprised to see such exceptional beauty, which must have been the result of past austerities and penances. He therefore asked the girl whether she had achieved such beauty just to break the penances and austerities of others. He thought that Lord Brahmā, the creator of the universe, might have been pleased with him and might therefore have sent her to become his wife. He requested Pūrvacitti to become his wife so that together they could perform austerities and penances in family life. In other words, a suitable wife helps her husband perform penances and austerities in household life if both of them are on the same elevated platform of spiritual understanding. Without spiritual understanding, husband and wife cannot be equally situated. Lord Brahmā, the creator of the universe, is interested in good progeny. Therefore unless he is pleased, one cannot get a suitable wife. In fact, Lord Brahmā is worshiped in marriage ceremonies. In India even today, wedding invitations are still issued with a picture of Lord Brahmā on the face of the card.
FAQs
This verse states that the Lord’s divine form can ‘destroy’ the pride and even the very pursuit of austerity—implying that direct vision of Him is not merely a result of tapas, but comes by His grace and devotion.
Because once the Supreme Lord is directly seen, the practitioner’s focus shifts from self-powered spiritual achievement to surrendered devotion; the Lord’s beauty and mercy eclipse mere ascetic accomplishment.
Practice discipline (tapasya) as support, but prioritize sincere prayer, humility, and devotion—seeking the Lord’s pleasure rather than personal spiritual status.