Shloka 20
परिव्राजक-आचारः (Conduct of the Wandering Renunciant) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 269
उनके हृदय बड़े उदार थे, उनके आचार और कर्म दूसरोंके लिये आचरणमें लानेमें अत्यन्त कठिन थे, अतः उनका सारा शुभ कर्म ही अक्षय मोक्षरूप फल देनेवाला था। यह बात सदा हमारे सुननेमें आयी है ।। स्वकर्मभि: सम्भूतानां तपो घोरत्वमागतम् । त॑ सदाचारमाश्चर्य पुराणं शाश्व॒तं ध्रुवम्
svakarmabhiḥ sambhūtānāṃ tapo ghoratvam āgatam | tat sadācāram āścaryaṃ purāṇaṃ śāśvataṃ dhruvam ||
Kapila berkata: “Daripada perbuatan benar mereka sendiri, lahirlah tapa (askese) yang menjadi dahsyat kerana keteguhannya. Disiplin akhlak mulia yang mengagumkan itu bersifat purba, kekal, dan teguh tidak tergoyahkan.”
कपिल उवाच
Educational Q&A
True austerity is not merely harsh self-denial; it can arise naturally from steadfast performance of one’s own rightful duties. Such sadācāra (ethical discipline) is portrayed as an ancient, enduring foundation that reliably leads toward the highest good.
Kapila is describing a tradition of exemplary people whose inner greatness and conduct were difficult to imitate. He emphasizes that their intense tapas was generated by their own proper actions, and he presents their established good conduct as a timeless, authoritative standard.