Shloka 24
Indra–Mataṅga Saṃvāda: On the rarity and responsibilities of Brāhmaṇya (इन्द्र-मतङ्ग संवादः)
तपस्यामें संलग्न हो मतंगने देवताओंको संतप्त कर दिया। वह भलीभाँति तपस्या करके सुखसे ही ब्राह्मणत्वरूपी अभीष्ट स्थानको प्राप्त करना चाहता था ।।
tapasā saṃlagno matango devatāḥ saṃtāpayām āsa | sa su-tapasā sukhenāiva brāhmaṇatva-rūpam abhīṣṭa-sthānaṃ prāptum aicchat || taṃ tathā tapasā yuktam uvāca harivāhanaḥ | “mataṅga, tapasya se kiṃ tvaṃ bhogān utsṛjya mānuṣān?” ||
Tenggelam dalam tapa, Mataṅga membuat para dewa terdesak oleh daya pertapaannya. Dengan tapas yang tertib—tanpa kekerasan maupun tipu daya—ia ingin meraih kedudukan yang didambakan, yakni brahminhood. Melihatnya demikian teguh, Indra sang Harivāhana bersabda: “Mataṅga, mengapa engkau bertapa, meninggalkan kenikmatan manusia?”
मतंग उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights tapas as a morally focused means of self-transformation: intense discipline can challenge even the gods, and true aspiration is framed as seeking a higher ethical-spiritual state rather than mere worldly enjoyment.
Matanga performs powerful austerities aiming to attain brahminhood. His penance troubles the gods, prompting Indra (Harivāhana) to approach and question why he has renounced ordinary human pleasures to pursue tapas.