Valmiki Ramayana 1.59.17: Bala Kanda, Sarga 59, Shloka 17
विश्वामित्रस्य शरणागति-प्रशंसा तथा वासिष्ठपुत्र-शापः
Visvamitra grants refuge; the curse upon Vasishta’s sons
ये दूषयन्त्यदुष्टं मां तप उग्रं समास्थितम् ।
भस्मीभूता दुरात्मानो भविष्यन्ति न संशयः ॥१७॥
ye dūṣayanty aduṣṭaṃ māṃ tapa ugraṃ samāsthitam |
bhasmībhūtā durātmāno bhaviṣyanti na saṃśayaḥ ||17||
मैं कोई बुरा काम नहीं किया, बस अपनी तपस्या में लगा हुआ हूँ। जो लोग मुझे बुरा बोलेंगे, वो बुरे लोग हैं। वो सब जल के राख हो जायेंगे। इसमें कोई शक नहीं।
"I am blameless. I have practised rigorous penance. These wicked ones who have abused (a sage like me) will be reduced to ashes.
FAQs
The verse dramatizes how truth-claims (satya about one’s blamelessness) can be paired with wrathful retaliation; dharma ideally requires that tapas be governed by compassion and restraint.
Viśvāmitra responds to the insults by declaring his purity and announcing destructive consequences for the revilers.
Ascetic potency (tapas) is foregrounded, but the episode also underscores the crucial virtue of self-mastery in wielding spiritual power.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
