Shloka 39
Adhyāya 270 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on saṃnyāsa; Bhīṣma on calculable time, tamas, and karma
Vṛtra–Uśanā exemplum begins
ततः: प्रह्षष्टदनो भूय आरब्धवांस्तप: । भूयश्वाचिन्तयत् सिद्धो यत्परं सोडभिमन्यते,यह विचार आते ही उसका मुख प्रसन्नतासे खिल उठा और उसने बड़े उत्साहके साथ पुनः तपस्या आरम्भ की। पुनः सिद्धि प्राप्त होनेपर उसने देखा कि वह मनमें जो-जो संकल्प करता है, वह अत्यन्त महान् होनेपर भी सामने प्रस्तुत हो जाता है। यह देखकर ब्राह्मणने पुनः यों विचार किया--
tataḥ prahṛṣṭa-dhano bhūya ārabdhavāṁs tapaḥ | bhūyaś cācintayat siddho yat-paraṁ so ’bhimanyate ||
Bhīṣma disse: Então, alegrado por sua riqueza, ele voltou a empreender a austeridade com zelo renovado. E, novamente, tendo alcançado êxito espiritual, refletiu: qualquer coisa suprema que concebesse em sua mente—ainda que imensamente grande—apareceria diante dele. Vendo isso, o brāhmane tornou a ponderar assim.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how sustained tapas can yield siddhi—extraordinary efficacy of will—yet it implicitly raises an ethical tension: when desires instantly manifest, the practitioner must examine intention and restraint, otherwise power can become a new bondage rather than a support for dharma.
An ascetic brahmin, delighted by his gained prosperity, resumes austerities. After attaining success again, he notices that whatever lofty object he mentally resolves upon appears before him, prompting him to reflect further on what to do with such power.