Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
उक्तस्तैरस्मि गच्छ त्वं ब्रह्मतोकमिति प्रभो । प्रीतेनोक्तसहस््रेण ब्राह्मणानामहं प्रभो । इमं लोकमनुप्राप्तो मा भूत् ते5त्र विचारणा
uktas tair asmi gaccha tvaṁ brahmalokam iti prabho | prītenokta-sahasreṇa brāhmaṇānām ahaṁ prabho | imaṁ lokam anuprāpto mā bhūt te 'tra vicāraṇā ||
ພະພາກີຣະຖະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພຣະເຈົ້າ! ພວກເຂົາໄດ້ບອກຂ້າພະອົງວ່າ ‘ຈົ່ງໄປສູ່ ພຣະພຣົມໂລກ’។ ໂອ ນາຍໃຫຍ່! ໂດຍຄໍາສັ່ງອັນເມດຕາ ແລະ ພອນຂອງພຣາມຫມັນນັບພັນຜູ້ປິຕິນັ້ນ ຂ້າພະອົງຈຶ່ງໄດ້ມາຮອດໂລກນີ້. ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ໂອ ພຣະເຈົ້າ, ຂໍຢ່າໃຫ້ມີຄວາມສົງໄສໃນເລື່ອງນີ້»។
भगीरथ उवाच
The verse underscores the ethical authority of the righteous: when brāhmaṇas and ṛṣis are genuinely pleased by one’s conduct and rites, their blessing and instruction are treated as a trustworthy warrant for spiritual attainment. It also models humility—Bhagīratha asks the listener not to harbor suspicion, grounding his claim in the approval of the virtuous.
Bhagīratha explains that, after completing a certain undertaking, thousands of brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis arrived, were satisfied with him, and joyfully instructed him to go to Brahmaloka. He states that by their pleased blessing he has attained his present state/world, and he requests that no doubt be entertained about it.