अध्याय ३३७ — ज्ञानमार्ग-वैविध्यप्रश्नः तथा व्यासस्य नारायणोद्भवकथा
Systems of Knowledge and Vyāsa’s Nārāyaṇa-Origin
न किलातप्ततपसा शकक््यते द्रष्टमज्जसा । “वहाँके निवासियोंके तेजसे आँखें चौंधिया जानेके कारण हम वहाँ किसी पुरुषको देख नहीं पाते थे। तदनन्तर दैवयोगसे हमारे हृदयमें यह ज्ञान प्रकट हुआ कि तपस्या किये बिना हमलोग भगवानको सुगमतापूर्वक नहीं देख सकते
na kilātaptatapasā śakyate draṣṭum ajjasā |
Bhīṣma berkata: “Sesungguhnya, tanpa tapas yang dijalankan, tidak mungkin melihat (Tuhan) secara langsung dan mudah. Tersilaukan oleh cahaya para penghuni tempat itu, mata kami terpesona dan kami tak dapat mengenali seorang pun; lalu, oleh ketentuan Ilahi, timbullah pengertian di hati kami: tanpa tapas, darśana Tuhan tidaklah mudah diraih.”
भीष्म उवाच
Direct spiritual realization is not attained effortlessly; tapas—disciplined austerity and inner purification—is presented as a necessary condition for truly beholding the Divine, with insight ultimately arising through a combination of effort and divine dispensation.
The speakers (as recalled by Bhishma) reach a radiant realm where the brilliance of its inhabitants overwhelms their sight, preventing clear perception; afterward, they realize that without prior tapas they cannot easily see the Lord.