Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 70
Hanūmaccarita
The Account of Hanumān
किमर्थं म्रियते ब्रह्मन्पश्य मे तपसो बलम् । इति वादिनि विप्रेंद्रे गौतमोऽपि ममार ह ॥ ७० ॥
kimarthaṃ mriyate brahmanpaśya me tapaso balam | iti vādini vipreṃdre gautamo'pi mamāra ha || 70 ||
«Pourquoi devrait-il mourir, ô brahmane ? Contemple la puissance de mon austérité !»—tandis que le plus éminent des brahmanes parlait ainsi, le sage Gautama lui-même rendit réellement son dernier souffle.
Narrator (within the Narada Purana dialogue frame; likely Narada recounting to the Sanatkumara tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
FAQs
It highlights that even extraordinary tapas (austerity) does not automatically override the ordained course of life; mortality still reaches even revered sages, underscoring humility and the supremacy of dharma and karmic order.
By showing the limitation of sheer ascetic power, the verse implicitly points toward reliance on higher divine order; in the Purāṇic worldview, devotion and surrender complement discipline, preventing pride in spiritual attainments.
The verse is primarily ethical-narrative rather than technical, but it supports Vedāṅga-aligned conduct (dharma) by warning against arrogance arising from tapas—an important practical takeaway for ritualists and ascetics.