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 ||
Parāśara dit : « Ces grands ṛṣi, après avoir loué Viṣṇu par les hymnes védiques dans un état de concentration, obtinrent l’accomplissement par leurs austérités, grâce à la faveur de ce Seigneur sage. (Parmi eux se trouvaient) Asita, Devala, Nārada, Parvata, Kakṣīvān, Paraśurāma fils de Jamadagni, Tāṇḍya —dont on dit qu’il maîtrisait l’esprit—, Vasiṣṭha, Jamadagni, Viśvāmitra, Atri, Bharadvāja, Hariśmaśru, Kuṇḍadhāra et 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.