Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 70
Hanūmaccarita
The Account of Hanumān
किमर्थं म्रियते ब्रह्मन्पश्य मे तपसो बलम् । इति वादिनि विप्रेंद्रे गौतमोऽपि ममार ह ॥ ७० ॥
kimarthaṃ mriyate brahmanpaśya me tapaso balam | iti vādini vipreṃdre gautamo'pi mamāra ha || 70 ||
“ഹേ ബ്രാഹ്മണാ! അവൻ എന്തിന് മരിക്കണം? എന്റെ തപസ്സിന്റെ ബലം കാണുക!”—ഇങ്ങനെ ആ ശ്രേഷ്ഠ വിപ്രൻ പറയുമ്പോൾ തന്നെ ഗൗതമ മുനിയും അവിടെ പ്രാണൻ വിട്ടു।
Narrator (within the Narada Purana dialogue frame; likely Narada recounting to the Sanatkumara tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
FAQs
It highlights that even extraordinary tapas (austerity) does not automatically override the ordained course of life; mortality still reaches even revered sages, underscoring humility and the supremacy of dharma and karmic order.
By showing the limitation of sheer ascetic power, the verse implicitly points toward reliance on higher divine order; in the Purāṇic worldview, devotion and surrender complement discipline, preventing pride in spiritual attainments.
The verse is primarily ethical-narrative rather than technical, but it supports Vedāṅga-aligned conduct (dharma) by warning against arrogance arising from tapas—an important practical takeaway for ritualists and ascetics.