Shloka 34

Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity

Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

तुरायणं हि व्रतमप्यधृष्य- मक्रोधनो5करवं त्रिंशतो<ब्दान्‌ । शतं गवामष्टशतानि चैव दिने दिने हाददं ब्राह्मणेभ्य:

Transliteration

turāyaṇaṃ hi vratam apy adhṛṣyam akrodhano 'karavaṃ triṃśato 'bdān | śataṃ gavām aṣṭaśatāni caiva dine dine 'dadāṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ ||

Translation

ഭഗീരഥൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഞാൻ ക്രോധരഹിതനായി മുപ്പത് വർഷം ‘തുരായണ’ എന്ന ദുഷ്കര വ്രതം അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചു; അതിൽ ഞാൻ ദിനംപ്രതി ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കു ഒൻപതു നൂറ് പശുക്കൾ ദാനം ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• {'turāyaṇam': 'the Turāyaṇa vow (a rigorous religious observance)', 'vratam': 'vow

• disciplined religious practice', 'adhṛṣyam': 'hard to overcome

• difficult to perform', 'akrodhanaḥ': 'free from anger

• self-controlled', 'akaravam': 'I performed

• I undertook', 'triṃśataḥ abdān': 'for thirty years', 'śatam': 'one hundred', 'gavām': 'of cows', 'aṣṭaśatāni': 'eight hundreds (i.e., eight hundred)', 'ca eva': 'and indeed

• and also', 'dine dine': 'day by day

• every day', 'adadām': 'I gave

• I donated', 'brāhmaṇebhyaḥ': 'to Brahmins'}

Speaker

भगीरथ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhagīratha
• Turāyaṇa-vrata
• Brahmins
• cows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma through disciplined observance (vrata), inner restraint (akrodha), and sustained generosity (dāna). Ethical merit is shown not merely by a single gift, but by long-term self-control and consistent support of worthy recipients.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhagīratha is recounting his own past practice: for thirty years he maintained the demanding Turāyaṇa vow, characterized by angerlessness and the daily donation of nine hundred cows to Brahmins, as evidence of his austerity and charitable commitment.