Shloka 9
Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
दशैकरात्रान् दशपज्चरात्रा- नेकादशैकादशकान क्रतूंश्न । ज्योतिष्टोमानां च शतं यदिष्ट॑ फलेन तेनापि च नागतो5हम्
Bhagīratha uvāca — daśaikarātrān daśapañcarātrān ekādaśaikādaśakān kratūṃś ca | jyotiṣṭomānāṃ ca śataṃ yad iṣṭaṃ phalena tenāpi ca nāgato 'ham ||
भगीरथ बोले—“मैंने एक-रात्रि में पूर्ण होने वाले दस यज्ञ, पाँच-रात्रि में पूर्ण होने वाले दस यज्ञ, ग्यारह-रात्रि में समाप्त होने वाले ग्यारह यज्ञ, और ज्योतिष्टोम नामक सौ यज्ञ भी किये हैं; परन्तु उन कर्मकाण्डों के पुण्य-फल से भी मैं यहाँ नहीं आया।”
भगीरथ उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual achievements and accumulated merit (yajña-phala) are not, by themselves, sufficient to guarantee the highest spiritual or posthumous attainment; the verse underscores humility and points toward a higher criterion beyond mere ritual quantity.
Bhagīratha speaks about his extensive performance of Vedic sacrifices—various multi-night rites and a hundred Jyotiṣṭomas—yet confesses that even the fruits of these rituals did not bring him to the present state, implying that another cause or higher principle governs the outcome.