Shloka 7
Yogakṣema, Purohita, and the Mucukunda–Vaiśravaṇa Dialogue (योगक्षेम–पुरोहित–मुचुकुन्दवैश्रवणसंवादः)
तत उग्रं तपस्तप्त्वा वसिष्ठो धर्मवित्तम: | रक्षांस्युपावधीत् तस्य पन्थानं चाप्यविन्दत
tata ugraṁ tapas taptvā vasiṣṭho dharmavittamaḥ | rakṣāṁsy upāvadhīt tasya panthānaṁ cāpy avindata ||
Kemudian Vasiṣṭha—yang utama di antara para pengenal dharma—menjalani tapa yang dahsyat; dengan daya tapa itu ia membinasakan para rākṣasa dan menemukan pula bagi sang raja jalan menuju kemenangan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents tapas guided by dharma as a legitimate power for protection: a true knower of dharma removes destructive forces and reveals a righteous means to success, implying that victory should be pursued through lawful and ethically grounded methods.
Bhīṣma recounts that the sage Vasiṣṭha undertook severe austerities, destroyed the rākṣasas who were obstructing the situation, and secured for the king a viable route or strategy leading to victory.