Shloka 21
Vasiṣṭhāpavāha: Sarasvatī’s Diversion and Viśvāmitra’s Curse (वसिष्ठापवाहः)
तेन ते हूयमानस्य राष्ट्रस्यास्य क्षयो महान् । तस्यैतत् तपस: कर्म येन तेडद्य लयो महान्
tena te hūyamānasya rāṣṭrasyāsya kṣayo mahān | tasyaitat tapasaḥ karma yena te 'dya layo mahān, krodhena mahatāviṣṭo dharmātmā vai pratāpavān |
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「彼によってあなたの国が、あたかも火中へ供物として投じられているがゆえに、この国土には大いなる滅びが訪れた。これは彼のタパスの働きであり、その力によって今日、あなたには大いなる崩壊が始まったのだ。激しい怒りに憑かれた、ダルマにかなう力あるその苦行者が、タパスの威力によってこの破滅をもたらしたのである。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral-psychological tension that even a dharmic, powerful ascetic can become an instrument of destruction when seized by intense anger; tapas is ethically potent and can yield fearful consequences when aligned with wrath.
Vaiśaṃpāyana explains to the listener that the present ruin of the kingdom is occurring as though it were being offered as an oblation—an effect attributed to the force of an enraged, righteous ascetic’s austerity.