Shloka 17
स समिद्धे महत्यग्नौ शरीरमुपतापयन् । जनयामास संतापमिन्द्रस्य सुमहातपा:
sa samiddhe mahātyagnau śarīram upatāpayan | janayāmāsa santāpam indrasya sumahātapāḥ ||
ఆ మహాతపస్వి మహా ప్రదీప్తమైన అగ్నిలో తన శరీరాన్ని తపింపజేస్తూ ఇంద్రుని మనస్సులో ఘోరమైన సంతాపాన్ని కలిగించాడు.
लोमश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the extraordinary potency of tapas (austerity): disciplined self-suffering and restraint can generate spiritual power that obliges even divine authorities like Indra to respond. Ethically, it points to the seriousness of intention and self-control—power is not only political or martial, but also moral and ascetic.
Lomaśa describes a great ascetic performing a severe penance by heating his body in a blazing fire. The intensity of this tapas produces ‘santāpa’—disturbance and anxiety—in Indra, signaling that the ascetic’s growing power has cosmic repercussions and draws the attention of the gods.