Shloka 22

Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala

On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving

Devanagari script

एवं योगबलाद्‌ विप्रो मोहयामास पार्थिवम्‌ । क्षणेन तद्‌ वनं॑ चैव ते चैवाप्सरसां गणा:

Transliteration

evaṁ yogabalād vipro mohayāmāsa pārthivam | kṣaṇena tad vanaṁ caiva te caivāpsarasāṁ gaṇāḥ |

Translation

இவ்வாறு யோக வலிமையால் அந்தப் பிராமண ரிஷி அரசனை மயக்கத்தில் ஆழ்த்தினார். ஒரு கணத்தில் அந்தக் காடும், அப்சரஸ்களின் அந்தக் கூட்டங்களும்—அனைத்தும் பார்வையிலிருந்து மறைந்தன.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'evaṁ', 'definition': 'thus

• in this manner'}, {'term': 'yogabalāt', 'definition': 'from/through the strength of yoga

• by yogic power'}, {'term': 'vipraḥ', 'definition': 'brahmin

• learned/holy man (here: a sage)'}, {'term': 'mohayāmāsa', 'definition': 'caused to be deluded

• bewildered (causative of √muh)'}, {'term': 'pārthivam', 'definition': 'the king

• ruler of the earth'}, {'term': 'kṣaṇena', 'definition': 'in an instant

• within a moment'}, {'term': 'tad vanam', 'definition': 'that forest'}, {'term': 'āpsarasām gaṇāḥ', 'definition': 'companies/troops of Apsarases (celestial nymphs)'}, {'term': 'caiva', 'definition': 'and indeed

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• a brahmin-sage (vipra)
• king (pārthiva)
• forest (vana)
• Apsarases (āpsaras-gaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly power and royal authority are limited; yogic/ascetic mastery can dispel pride and induce moha to correct wrongdoing. The ethical thrust is humility before dharma and restraint before spiritual potency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that a brahmin-sage, using yogic power, bewilders the king; instantly the forest scene and the Apsarases’ host disappear from view, signaling the sage’s control over perception and the king’s chastening.