Shloka 6
Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
तं तु दृष्टवा वचः प्राह ब्रह्मा राजन् भगीरथम् । कथं भगीरथागास्त्वमिमं लोकं॑ दुरासदम्
taṁ tu dṛṣṭvā vacaḥ prāha brahmā rājan bhagīratham | kathaṁ bhagīrathāgās tvam imaṁ lokaṁ durāsadam, rājan ||
அவரைக் கண்ட பிரம்மா, அரசன் பகீரதனை நோக்கி கூறினார்—“அரசே! இந்த உலகம் மிக அரிதாக அணுகத்தக்கது; பகீரதா, நீ எவ்வாறு இங்கு வந்தாய்?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Access to higher realms is portrayed as rare and difficult (durāsada), implying that extraordinary merit, discipline, and dharmic purpose are required; even a great king’s arrival there invites scrutiny about the means and worthiness.
Bhīṣma narrates that Brahmā sees King Bhagīratha present in a hard-to-reach divine realm and questions him directly about how he managed to arrive there.