Shloka 42

Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity

Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

काम यथादद्विहितं विधात्रा पृष्टेन वाच्यं तु मया यथावत्‌ | तपो हि नान्यच्चानशनान्मतं मे नमोस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद

Transliteration

kāmaṃ yathādad dvihitaṃ vidhātrā pṛṣṭena vācyaṃ tu mayā yathāvat | tapo hi nānyac cānaśanān mataṃ me namo 'stu te deva-vara prasīda ||

Translation

Бхагиратха сказал: «О Владыка богов, я должным образом соблюдал обет поста, как установил Творец, согласно моему собственному решению. Раз ты спросил меня, мне надлежит сказать всё в точности как есть; потому я и поведал всё. По моему разумению, нет подвига выше поста. Я преклоняюсь перед тобой, о лучший из богов, — будь милостив ко мне».

Word by Word

• कामम्: desire / wish (as intended)
• कामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as / according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• आदत्: gave / granted
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (आ-दा)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विहितम्: ordained / prescribed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धा (PPP: विहित)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• विधात्रा: by the creator / ordainer
• विधात्रा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधातृ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पृष्टेन: when asked / by (your) asking
• पृष्टेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृच्छ् (PPP: पृष्ट)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वाच्यम्: to be said / should be spoken
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (gerundive: वाच्य)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• यथावत्: properly / as it is
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्

• तपः: austerity / penance
• तपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अन्यत्: other (anything else)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अनशनात्: than fasting / from fasting
• अनशनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनशन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• मतम्: considered / held (as opinion)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (PPP: मत)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अस्तु: let there be / may it be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ते: to you / your
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative/Genitive, Singular

• देववर: O best of gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रसीद: be pleased / show favor
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (प्र-सीद्)
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• देवेश्वर: O lord of gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भगीरथ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhagīratha
• Vidhātṛ (Creator/Ordainer)
• Deva-vara (best of gods, addressed deity)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates disciplined fasting (anaśana) as a supreme form of tapas and links ascetic practice with dharma: when questioned by a higher authority, one should speak truthfully and completely (yathāvat), without concealment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhagīratha addresses a divine being, explaining that he has properly completed the prescribed fast. Because the deity has asked, he reports his actions fully and then offers reverence, requesting the god’s favor.