Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala
On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving
वर्तितं भूगुशार्दूल यन्न दग्धो5स्मि तद् बहु । एष एव वरो मुख्य: प्राप्तो मे भूगुनन्दन
vartitaṁ bhṛguśārdūla yan na dagdho ’smi tad bahu | eṣa eva varo mukhyaḥ prāpto me bhṛgunandana ||
ກຸສິກະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ເສືອໃຫຍ່ໃນຫມູ່ພຣະພັນທຸ໌ພຣິກຸ, ທີ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຜ່ານການທົດສອບນີ້ແລ້ວຍັງບໍ່ຖືກໄຟເຜົາ—ນັ້ນແຫຼະແມ່ນພອນອັນໃຫຍ່. ໂອ ຜູ້ເປັນຄວາມຊື່ນບານແຫ່ງພຣິກຸ, ພອນນີ້ແຫຼະແມ່ນພອນສູງສຸດທີ່ມາຮອດຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ».
कुशिक उवाच
The verse highlights that moral integrity and inner purity are themselves the highest reward: surviving an ordeal unscathed is valued not merely as a miracle, but as confirmation of righteousness, making that confirmation the ‘foremost boon.’
Kuśika addresses a Bhṛgu-descended sage, stating that he has undergone a severe test (implied to involve fire) and was not burned; he interprets this outcome as the greatest blessing he could receive.