अध्याय ३२३ — श्वेतद्वीपगमनम्, यज्ञभाग-विवादः, एकान्तिभक्त्या नारायणदर्शन-नियमः (Śvetadvīpa Journey; Dispute over Sacrificial Share; Rule of Nārāyaṇa-vision through Single-minded Devotion)
तात! उसी तपस्यासे उद्दीप्त हुई महात्मा व्यासजीकी ये जटाएँ आज भी अग्निके समान प्रकाशित हो रही हैं ।।
Tāta! usī tapasyāse uddīpta huī mahātmā Vyāsajī kī ye jaṭāẽ āja bhī agni ke samāna prakāśita ho rahī haĩ. Evaṁvidhena tapasā tasya bhaktyā ca Bhārata, Maheśvaraḥ prasannātmā cakāra manasā matim, Bhārata! (tasmai) abhīṣṭa-vara-pradāne.
Bhīṣma dit : «Mon enfant, aujourd’hui encore, les mèches emmêlées du grand sage Vyāsa brillent comme le feu, attisées par cette même austérité. Ô Bharata, voyant en lui une telle pénitence et une telle dévotion, Maheshvara (Śiva) fut profondément satisfait et, dans son cœur, résolut de lui accorder la grâce qu’il désirait.»
भीष्म उवाच
Sustained austerity (tapas) joined with sincere devotion (bhakti) generates spiritual potency and attracts divine favor; inner purity and disciplined effort are portrayed as worthy causes for grace and the fulfillment of righteous desires.
Bhishma describes Vyasa’s extraordinary ascetic power—symbolized by his matted locks shining like fire—and explains that Shiva, pleased by Vyasa’s tapas and devotion, inwardly decides to grant him the boon he seeks.