Shloka 46
Atithi-prāpti and the Brāhmaṇa’s Deliberation on Triadic Dharma (अतिथिप्राप्तिः धर्मत्रयविचारश्च)
ते तपः समुपातिष्ठ न् ब्रह्मोक्तं वेदकल्पितम् । स महानियमो नाम तपश्चर्यासु दारुण:,वहाँ ब्रह्माजीके कथनानुसार उन सबने वेदोक्त रीतिसे तपस्या आरम्भ की। उनका वह महान् नियम सभी तपस्याओंमें कठोर था
te tapaḥ samupātiṣṭhan brahmoktaṁ vedakalpitam | sa mahāniyamo nāma tapaścaryāsu dāruṇaḥ ||
Di sana, menurut perintah Brahmā, mereka semua memulakan tapa menurut disiplin yang ditetapkan oleh Veda. Amalan itu—yang dikenali sebagai “Peraturan Agung”—adalah yang paling keras antara segala bentuk pertapaan.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that austerity is not merely personal hardship but a disciplined practice grounded in authoritative dharma—here, explicitly aligned with Brahmā’s instruction and Vedic prescription. Ethical force comes from regulated self-restraint (niyama) undertaken in obedience to sacred order rather than from arbitrary self-mortification.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana reports that a group (previously introduced in the chapter) begins a Veda-sanctioned austerity as directed by Brahmā. Their observance is identified as a “Great Rule” (mahāniyama), distinguished by exceptional severity among ascetic practices.