Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency
Mahābhārata 12.292
वसिष्ठो जमदन्निश्ष विश्वामित्रो$त्रिरेव च | भरद्वाजो हरिश्मश्रु: कुण्डधार: श्रुतश्रवा:
vasiṣṭho jamadagniś ca viśvāmitro ’trir eva ca | bharadvājo hariśmaśruḥ kuṇḍadhāraḥ śrutaśravāḥ | asito devalo nāradaḥ parvataḥ kakṣīvān jamadagninandanaḥ paraśurāmaḥ tāṇḍyaś ca manasaḥ vaśam ānayan | ete maharṣayaḥ samāhitacittā vedar̥gbhiḥ bhagavantaṃ viṣṇuṃ stutvā tasyaiva buddhimato śrīhareḥ kṛpayā tapasā siddhiṃ prāpuḥ ||
Wika ni Parāśara: Sina Vasiṣṭha, Jamadagni, Viśvāmitra, Atri, Bharadvāja, Hariśmaśru, Kuṇḍadhāra, Śrutaśravā, Asita, Devala, Nārada, Parvata, Kakṣīvān, si Rāma na anak ni Jamadagni (Paraśurāma), at si Tāṇḍya na nakapagsasailalim ng isip—ang mga dakilang rishi na ito, na may iisang-tutok na pagninilay, ay nagpuri kay Panginoong Viṣṇu sa pamamagitan ng mga ṛk-taludtod ng Veda. Sa biyaya ng marunong na Śrīhari, nagsagawa sila ng tapas at nagkamit ng siddhi.
पराशर उवाच
Spiritual accomplishment (siddhi) arises from disciplined austerity supported by focused mind (samāhita-citta) and devotion expressed through Vedic praise; grace (kṛpā) of Śrīhari is presented as the enabling power behind success.
Parāśara lists renowned sages who, gathering their minds, praise Lord Viṣṇu with Vedic ṛk-verses and, through His grace, undertake tapas and attain siddhi—serving as exemplars of devotional discipline.