Mahabharata 1.174.2 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 174, Shloka 2
Dhaumya-varaṇa (Appointment of Dhaumya as Purohita) | धौम्यवरणम्
उवाच च महेष्वासो गन्धर्व कुरुसत्तम: । जातकौतूहलो$तीव वसिष्ठस्य तपोबलात्,फिर महाधनुर्धर कुरुश्रेष्ठ अर्जुनने गन्धर्वसे कहा--'सखे! वसिष्ठके तपोबलकी बात सुनकर मेरे हृदयमें बड़ी उत्कण्ठा पैदा हो गयी है
uvāca ca maheṣvāso gandharva kurusattamaḥ | jātakautūhalo 'tīva vasiṣṭhasya tapobalāt |
پھر مہادھنوردھر، کُروؤں میں سرفراز، ارجن نے گندھرو سے کہا—“اے دوست! وِسِشٹھ کے تپوبل کا حال سن کر میرے دل میں شدید تجسّس جاگ اُٹھا ہے۔”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the acknowledged moral-spiritual authority of tapas (ascetic discipline): the mere report of a sage’s austerity-power (Vasiṣṭha) can move a warrior to reverent inquiry, implying that inner discipline and dharmic merit command respect beyond martial strength.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that a renowned Kuru archer speaks to a Gandharva, stating that he has become intensely curious after hearing about Vasiṣṭha’s ascetic power, setting up further questioning or explanation about the sage’s extraordinary potency.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.