Shloka 38
Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
सरय्वां बाहुदायां च गंगायामथ नैमिषे । गवां शतानामयुतमददं न च तेन वै
Sarayvāṁ Bāhudāyāṁ ca Gaṅgāyām atha Naimiṣe | gavāṁ śatānām ayutam adadaṁ na ca tena vai ||
婆伽罗陀说道：“在萨罗由河、巴呼陀河、恒河以及奈弥沙之地，我曾施舍无量之牛（极其宏大的牛施）。然而即便凭这些布施的功德，我也未能达到此境。唯有凭我持守断食之誓（阿那萨那誓）的力量，我才获得这稀有的境界。”
भगीरथ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts external religious merit (pilgrimage and massive charity such as go-dāna) with inner austerity and disciplined vows. Bhagīratha emphasizes that extraordinary spiritual attainment is not guaranteed by quantity of gifts alone; steadfast tapas—here, the fasting vow—can be decisive.
Bhagīratha speaks about his past acts of pilgrimage to major sacred sites and his immense donations of cows. He then states that those acts did not bring him to the present rare state/realm; rather, he attributes his attainment to the power of his anasana-vrata (fasting austerity).