Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 54
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
रुद्रेण सह देवेश तन्निबोध शचीपते । “एक दूसरा गूढ़ रहस्य, जिसका ऋषियोंने चिन्तन किया है, सुनिये। इसे मैंने भगवान् शंकरके स्थानमें भाषण करते हुए बृहस्पतिजीके मुखसे भगवान् रुद्रके साथ ही सुना था। देवेश! शचीपते! उसे ध्यानपूर्वक सुनिये ।।
śakra uvāca | rudreṇa saha deveśa tannibodha śacīpate | eka dvitīyaṁ gūḍha-rahasyaṁ yad ṛṣibhiś cintitaṁ śṛṇu | etad ahaṁ bhagavataḥ śaṅkarasya sthāne bhāṣaṇaṁ kurvataḥ bṛhaspati-mukhād bhagavato rudreṇa sahaiva śrutavān | deveśa śacīpate tad avahitaḥ śṛṇu || parvatārohaṇaṁ kṛtvā ekapādo vibhāvasum | (bhojanāt pūrvam ekapādena tiṣṭhan bāhū ūrdhvaṁ kṛtvā añjaliṁ badhvā tatra agni-divaṁ prati paśyati) sa mahā-tapasyā-yuktaḥ upavāsa-phalaṁ prāpnoti ||
Sinabi ni Śakra: “O panginoon ng mga diyos, O asawa ni Śacī, unawain mo ito kasama ni Rudra. Pakinggan ang isa pang malalim na lihim na pinagbulay-bulayan ng mga rishi. Minsan ay narinig ko ito mula sa bibig ni Bṛhaspati, na binigkas sa mismong dako ng pinagpupugaran ng mapalad na Śaṅkara, sa harap ni Rudra. O panginoon ng mga diyos, O Śacīpati—makinig nang buong pag-iingat. Ang sinumang umakyat sa bundok at, bago kumain, tumayo sa isang paa, itinaas ang dalawang bisig, nag-anjali (magkadikit ang mga palad) at tumitig sa apoy at sa langit—ang taong iyon, na may dakilang pag-aayuno at pagtitiis, ay nagkakamit ng gantimpalang tulad ng sa pag-aayuno.”
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
A disciplined bodily observance—mountain ascent, one-foot stance, raised arms, joined palms, and reverent gaze toward fire/heaven before eating—can generate the same religious merit as a formal fast, emphasizing intentional self-restraint and focused devotion.
Indra (Śakra) addresses the lord of the gods as Śacīpati, stating that he learned a profound, seer-reflected secret from Bṛhaspati in Śiva’s presence with Rudra, and then transmits that teaching as a specific austerity practice and its promised fruit.