Shloka 119
Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha
न विस्मयस्ते नृपते यज्ञे कार्य: कथंचन । ऋषिकोटिसहस्त्राणि तपोभियें दिवं गता:
na vismayas te nṛpate yajñe kāryaḥ kathaṃcana | ṛṣikoṭisahasrāṇi tapobhir ye divaṃ gatāḥ ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai raja, janganlah engkau merasa heran sedikit pun tentang yajña ini. Tak terhitung para resi telah mencapai alam-alam surgawi semata-mata dengan kekuatan tapa, meski tanpa melaksanakan yajña.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not be surprised by extraordinary outcomes connected with ritual; spiritual attainment is not limited to sacrifice alone—many sages reach higher worlds through tapas (austerity) and inner discipline. The verse underscores multiple valid paths within dharma and recommends steadiness of mind rather than amazement.
Vaiśaṃpāyana addresses a king who has heard of an unusual incident related to a sacrifice. He counsels the king not to be astonished, citing the precedent that innumerable sages have attained heaven by austerities alone, thereby placing the reported event within a broader dharmic framework.