Shloka 28
Sarga 93: Rāvaṇa’s Grief and Fury after Indrajit’s Fall; Move to Slay Vaidehī and Ministerial Restraint
मयावर्षसहस्राणिचरित्वापरमंतपः ।।।।तेषुतेष्ववकाशेषुस्वयम्भूःपरितोषितः ।
mayā varṣasahasrāṇi caritvā paramaṁ tapaḥ |
teṣu teṣv avakāśeṣu svayambhūḥ paritoṣitaḥ ||
“Ta đã trải qua hàng ngàn năm tu khổ hạnh tối thượng; trong những thời khắc thích hợp ấy, ta nhiều lần hành trì—cho đến khi Đấng Tự Sinh, Phạm Thiên (Brahmā), hoan hỷ.”
'I have done penance for thousands of years several times and am a pleased self-born creator'.
FAQs
Tapas (austerity) is powerful, but dharma requires that spiritual power be yoked to restraint and truth; otherwise merit becomes fuel for pride.
Rāvaṇa begins a self-justifying speech, recalling his penances to claim invincibility and rally his followers.
Perseverance is displayed (years of tapas), but the virtue is compromised by arrogance—showing how merit can be ethically misused.