Shloka 26
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament and Kṛṣṇa’s Rudra-Cosmogony Explanation (सौप्तिक पर्व, अध्याय १७)
'पितामह! मैंने जलमें तपस्या करके प्रजाके लिये अन्न प्राप्त किया है; वे अन्नरूप ओषधियाँ प्रजाओंके ही समान निरन्तर विभिन्न अवस्थाओंमें परिणत होती रहेंगी” ।।
pitāmaha! mayā jalē tapasā kṛtvā prajābhyaḥ kṛtē annaṃ prāptaṃ; tē annarūpā oṣadhayaḥ prajānām iva nityam vividhāvasthāsu pariṇatā bhaviṣyanti. evam uktvā sa sakrōdhō jagāma vimanā bhavaḥ; girēḥ muñjavataḥ pādaṃ tapastaptuṃ mahātapāḥ.
“噢，祖父尊者！我在水中修苦行，为众生求得了食粮。那些化作滋养之形的药草，将如同众生自身一般，不断转变为种种不同的状态。”说罢，婆伐（湿婆）怒意勃发、心情沉郁，遂离去。那位大苦行者前往牟阇伐山（Muñjavat）山麓，继续修行苦行。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage links ascetic discipline (tapas) with the welfare of beings: through austerity, sustenance (anna) arises as herbs that continually transform to meet the changing conditions of life. It also cautions that even great beings may act under anger, yet redirect that energy into further spiritual practice.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Bhava (Śiva) declares he has obtained food for creatures through water-austerity, describing herbs as nourishment that keeps transforming. After speaking, Śiva—angry and inwardly unsettled—leaves and goes to the foothills of Mount Muñjavat to perform further tapas.