Shloka 11
संधेयासंधेय-पुरुषनिर्णयः (Criteria for Allies and Non-Allies) — with the opening of the Gautama narrative
ऋषय: पितरो देवा मनुष्या मृगपक्षिण: । यानि चान्यानि भूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च,ऋषि, पितर, देवता, मनुष्य, पशु-पक्षी तथा दूसरे जो चराचर प्राणी हैं, वे सब तपस्यामें ही तत्पर रहते हैं। तपस्यासे ही उन्हें सिद्धि प्राप्त होती है। इसी प्रकार देवताओंने भी तपस्यासे ही महत्त्वपूर्ण पद प्राप्त किया है
ṛṣayaḥ pitaro devā manuṣyā mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ | yāni cānyāni bhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca ||
بھیشم نے کہا—رشی، پِتر، دیوتا، انسان، درندے اور پرندے، اور جو بھی دوسرے جاندار ہیں—خواہ ساکن ہوں یا متحرک—سب تپسیا میں ہی مشغول رہتے ہیں۔
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Tapas—disciplined austerity and sustained self-control—is presented as a universal principle by which all classes of beings gain power, stability, and attainment; even divine status and high positions are said to be achieved through tapas.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma is teaching about the foundations of dharma and spiritual efficacy. Here he emphasizes, by listing all orders of beings (from sages and gods to animals and plants), that austerity is a common means to accomplishment and elevated states.