Shloka 18

Devanagari script

दशवर्षसहस््त्राणि तपस्तप्यन्‌ महामना: । ऐन्द्रं प्रार्थयते स्थानं तप:स्वाध्यायविक्रमात्‌,“वह महामना दैत्य दस हजार वर्षोतक कठोर तपस्या करके तप, स्वाध्याय और पराक्रमसे इन्द्रका स्थान लेना चाहता था

Transliteration

daśavarṣasahasrāṇi tapastapyan mahāmanāḥ | aindraṃ prārthayate sthānaṃ tapaḥsvādhyāyavikramāt ||

Translation

Lomaśa said: “That great-minded one, performing austerities for ten thousand years, seeks to obtain Indra’s station—by the force of his penance, self-study, and prowess.”

Word by Word

दशवर्षसहस्राणिten-thousand years (as a duration)

तपःausterity, penance

तप्यन्performing (austerity), practicing

महामनाःgreat-souled (one)

ऐन्द्रम्Indra’s

प्रार्थयतेrequests, seeks

स्थानम्position, station

तपःस्वाध्यायविक्रमात्by/through austerity, self-study, and prowess

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lomaśa

Indra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how sustained austerity and disciplined learning can generate immense spiritual power, yet it also frames an ethical tension: power gained through tapas may be directed toward rightful aims or toward ambitious overreach, such as attempting to displace a divine office.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa narrates that a great-minded figure has undertaken ten thousand years of severe austerities and, empowered by penance, scriptural self-study, and valor, is aspiring to obtain Indra’s station.