Shloka 30
Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala
On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving
'ये इच्छा करते ही अपनी तपस्याकी शक्तिसे दूसरे लोकोंकी सृष्टि कर सकते हैं। इस पृथ्वीपर ब्राह्मण ही पवित्रवाक्, पवित्रबुद्धि और पवित्र कर्मवाले होते हैं ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | ye icchāṃ kṛtvā svatapasā śaktayā dvitīyān lokān sraṣṭuṃ śaknuvanti | iha pṛthivyāṃ brāhmaṇā eva pavitravāk pavitrabuddhayaḥ pavitrakarmāṇaś ca bhavanti || utsahed iha kṛtvaiva ko 'nyo vai cyavanād ṛte | brāhmaṇyaṃ durlabhaṃ loke rājyaṃ hi sulabhaṃ naraiḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Mereka yang, begitu berketetapan, dengan daya tapasnya bahkan dapat melahirkan dunia-dunia lain—demikianlah para Mahātmā itu. Di bumi ini, hanya para Brāhmaṇa yang dikenal oleh kemurnian tutur kata, kemurnian budi, dan kemurnian laku. Siapa lagi di sini, selain Mahārṣi Cyavana, yang sanggup menuntaskan karya sebesar itu? Sebab bagi manusia, kerajaan mungkin mudah diraih, tetapi Brāhmaṇatva yang sejati amatlah langka di dunia.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma contrasts external power and status with inner qualification: sovereignty may be attainable, but authentic brāhmaṇya—purity in speech, thought, and action grounded in tapas and restraint—is rare and therefore more valuable.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he praises the extraordinary potency of ascetic discipline and cites the sage Cyavana as an exemplar of such capability, using this to emphasize the exceptional rarity of true Brahminhood compared to worldly rulership.