Shloka 23
लोका हि सर्वे तपसा प्रियन्ते तस्मात् त्वरध्वं तपस: क्षयाय । ये सन्ति केचिच्च वसुंधरायां तपस्विनो धर्मविदश्ल तज्ज्ञा:,दुर्ग समाश्रित्य महोर्मिमन्तं रत्नाकरं वरुणस्यालयं सम वहाँ क्रमश: दीर्घकालतक उपायचिन्तनमें लगे हुए उन असुरोंने यह घोर निश्चय किया कि जो लोग विद्वान् और तपस्वी हों, सबसे पहले उन्हींका विनाश करना चाहिये। सम्पूर्ण लोग तपसे ही टिके हुए हैं। अतः तुम सब लोग तपस्याके विनाशके लिये शीघ्रतापूर्वक कार्य करो। भूमण्डलमें जो कोई भी तपस्वी, धर्मज्ञ एवं उन्हें जानने-माननेवाले लोग हों, उन सबका तुरंत वध कर डालो। उनके नष्ट होनेपर सारा जगत् नष्ट हो जायगा। इस प्रकार बुद्धि और विचारसे हीन वे समस्त दैत्य संसारके विनाशकी बात सोचकर अत्यन्त हर्षका अनुभव करने लगे। उत्ताल तरंगोंसे भरे हुए वरुणके निवासस्थान रत्नाकर समुद्ररूप दुर्गका आश्रय लेकर वे उसमें निर्भय होकर रहने लगे
lokā hi sarve tapasā priyante tasmāt tvaradhvaṃ tapasaḥ kṣayāya | ye santi kecic ca vasuṃdharāyāṃ tapasvino dharmavidaś ca tajjñāḥ | durgaṃ samāśritya mahormimantaṃ ratnākaraṃ varuṇasyālayaṃ sam ||
Logaśa said: “All worlds are sustained and made secure by ascetic power; therefore hurry to bring about the destruction of tapas. Whatever ascetics, knowers of dharma, and those devoted to such knowledge exist upon the earth—kill them at once. When they are destroyed, the whole world will collapse.” Having taken refuge in a fortress-like place—the jewel-bearing ocean, Varuṇa’s abode, heaving with great waves—those asuras remained there without fear, intent on plotting the ruin of the world by undermining its moral and spiritual foundations.
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames tapas (austerity and disciplined spiritual power) and dharma-knowledge as pillars that uphold social and cosmic stability. Attacking ascetics and dharma-knowers is portrayed as an attack on the very conditions that keep the world ordered, revealing the asuric ethic: undermine righteousness to collapse the world.
Logaśa urges the asuras to act quickly to destroy tapas by killing ascetics and dharma-knowers on earth, claiming that their removal will cause universal ruin. The asuras then take refuge in the ocean—Varuṇa’s wave-filled abode—treating it as a fortress while they plan and operate from safety.