Shloka 30
Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya
कामेन युक्ता ऋषयस्तपस्येव समाहिता: । पलाशफलमूलादा वायुभक्षा: सुसंयता:
kāmena yuktā ṛṣayas tapasy eva samāhitāḥ | palāśa-phala-mūlāda vāyu-bhakṣāḥ su-saṃyatāḥ ||
Os sábios, impelidos pelo desejo, tornaram-se tão concentrados e absortos como se estivessem em austeridade. Vivendo de folhas de palāśa, frutos e raízes—ou mesmo subsistindo apenas do ar—permaneceram firmemente autocontrolados.
भीमयेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the paradox that even sages can be propelled by desire, yet outwardly display intense discipline and austerity. It invites ethical reflection on the difference between inner motive (kāma) and outer practice (tapas), emphasizing that true restraint concerns the mind as much as the body.
Bhīṣma describes (or is quoted describing) sages who, driven by desire, adopt severe ascetic modes of living—subsisting on leaves, fruits, roots, or even air—while maintaining strong self-control, illustrating the power of desire and the appearance of austerity.