रुद्रस्यापि वयं मान्याः कीदृशं ते तपो वद । विषमस्थं यत्र विप्रं म्रियमाणमुपेक्षसि
rudrasyāpi vayaṃ mānyāḥ kīdṛśaṃ te tapo vada | viṣamasthaṃ yatra vipraṃ mriyamāṇamupekṣasi
「ルドラの御前においてさえ、我らは敬われるに値する。告げよ—汝の苦行とはいかなるものか。苦境にある婆羅門が汝の前で死にゆくのに、なお見捨てるとは。」
Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
Listener: Acalā/that ascetic-goddess figure
Scene: A brāhmaṇa in peril, weakened and near death, rebukes the powerful ascetic/goddess figure: ‘What tapas is this that ignores me?’ Rudra’s presence is implied as cosmic witness.
Austerity without compassion is hollow; dharma demands protecting and aiding those in distress.
No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.
Tapas (austerity) is discussed ethically—measured by compassion and duty rather than mere self-mortification.