Shloka 15
बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency
Mahābhārata 12.217
त्रैलोक्यं तपसा व्याप्तमन्तर्भूतेन भास्वता । सूर्यश्च चन्द्रमाश्नैव भासतस्तपसा दिवि
trailokyaṁ tapasā vyāptam antarbhūtena bhāsvatā | sūryaś ca candramāś caiva bhāsatas tapasā divi ||
त्रैलोक्यं तपसा व्याप्तमन्तर्भूतेन भास्वता । सूर्यश्च चन्द्रमाश्चैव भासतस्तपसा दिवि ॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Tapas is portrayed as an indwelling luminous power that pervades and sustains the cosmos; ethical-spiritual discipline is not merely personal effort but a force that supports order, clarity, and rightful living (dharma).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction, Bhishma explains to Yudhishthira the greatness of tapas, using a cosmic image: the three worlds are filled with it, and even the sun and moon are said to shine through its power.