Shloka 46
Atithi-prāpti and the Brāhmaṇa’s Deliberation on Triadic Dharma (अतिथिप्राप्तिः धर्मत्रयविचारश्च)
ते तपः समुपातिष्ठ न् ब्रह्मोक्तं वेदकल्पितम् । स महानियमो नाम तपश्चर्यासु दारुण:,वहाँ ब्रह्माजीके कथनानुसार उन सबने वेदोक्त रीतिसे तपस्या आरम्भ की। उनका वह महान् नियम सभी तपस्याओंमें कठोर था
te tapaḥ samupātiṣṭhan brahmoktaṁ vedakalpitam | sa mahāniyamo nāma tapaścaryāsu dāruṇaḥ ||
وہاں برہما کے حکم کے مطابق انہوں نے ویدوں میں بتائے ہوئے طریقے سے تپسیا شروع کی۔ ‘مہانِیَم’ نام کا وہ ورت سب تپسیاؤں میں نہایت سخت تھا۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that austerity is not merely personal hardship but a disciplined practice grounded in authoritative dharma—here, explicitly aligned with Brahmā’s instruction and Vedic prescription. Ethical force comes from regulated self-restraint (niyama) undertaken in obedience to sacred order rather than from arbitrary self-mortification.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana reports that a group (previously introduced in the chapter) begins a Veda-sanctioned austerity as directed by Brahmā. Their observance is identified as a “Great Rule” (mahāniyama), distinguished by exceptional severity among ascetic practices.