Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 13
Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
पुष्करतीर्थमें जो सैकड़ों-हजारों बार मैंने ब्राह्गोंको एक लाख घोड़े और दो लाख गौएँ दान कीं तथा सोनेके उत्तम चन्द्रहार धारण करनेवाली जाम्बूनदके आभूषणोंसे विभूषित हुई साठ हजार सुन्दरी कन््याओंका जो सहस्रों बार दान किया, उस पुण्यसे भी मैं यहाँ नहीं आया हूँ ।।
Bhagīratha uvāca: Puṣkaratīrthe yat śataśaḥ sahasraśaś ca mayā brāhmaṇebhyo dānam dattam—lakṣaṃ aśvānāṃ dvilakṣaṃ gavāṃ ca; tathā suvarṇasya uttama-candrahāra-dhāriṇīḥ jāmbūnada-ābharaṇa-vibhūṣitāḥ ṣaṣṭi-sahasra-sundarīḥ kanyāḥ sahasraśo mayā dattāḥ—tad api puṇyena aham iha na āgataḥ. Daśārbudāni ca ardhaṃ go-sava-ijyāyāṃ mayā dattāni; ekaikaśo daśa gāvo brāhmaṇebhyaḥ prāptāḥ. Samānavatsāḥ payasā samanvitāḥ, suvarṇa-kāṃsya-upaduhāś ca dattāḥ; na tena api, lokanātha, aham iha prāptaḥ.
Wika ni Bhagīratha: “Sa banal na tawiran ng Puṣkara, daan-daan at libu-libong ulit akong nagkaloob sa mga Brahmana—isang daang libong kabayo at dalawang daang libong baka. At muli’t muli kong ipinagkaloob ang animnapung libong maririkit na dalaga, na pinalamutian ng mga alahas na ginto ng Jāmbūnada at may mahuhusay na kuwintas na ginto na tila buwan. Ngunit hindi dahil sa kabutihang iyon kaya ako nakarating sa pook na ito. Bukod pa riyan, sa hain na tinatawag na Go-sava, naghandog ako ng siyamnapu’t limang crore na mga bakang nagbibigay-gatas; bawat Brahmana ay tumanggap ng tig-sasampu. Bawat baka’y ibinigay na may kasamang guya na kapareho ng kulay, hitik sa gatas, at may mga sisidlang panggatas na yari sa ginto at tanso. Kahit sa bisa ng kabutihan ng hain na iyon, O Panginoon ng daigdig, hindi ko pa rin naabot ang kalagayang ito.”
भगीरथ उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even immense ritual giving—lavish dāna at a tīrtha and grand sacrificial donations—does not automatically guarantee the highest attainment. The passage stresses humility and implies that something beyond sheer quantity of gifts (such as inner purity, right intention, or higher dharma) is required.
Bhagīratha recounts extraordinary acts of generosity at Puṣkara and during the Go-sava sacrifice—donating vast numbers of horses, cows, and richly adorned maidens, and distributing cows with calves and milking vessels to Brahmins. He then declares that his present attainment was not reached merely through the merit of those deeds, addressing the listener as ‘Lokanātha’.