Shloka 653
Sārasvata–Dadhīca Upākhyāna at Sarasvatī Tīrtha
Balarāma’s Pilgrimage Context
जैगीषव्ये तपो नास्ति विस्मापयति यो5सितम् । तदनन्तर मुनिश्रेष्ठ नारदने देवताओंसे कहा--'जैगीषव्यमें तपस्या नहीं है; क्योंकि ये असित मुनिको अपना प्रभाव दिखाकर आश्चर्यमें डाल रहे हैं
jaigīṣavye tapo nāsti vismāpayati yo 'sitam | tadanantaram muniśreṣṭho nārado devatābhyaḥ uvāca—“jaigīṣavye tapasyā nāsti; yataḥ sa asitaṃ muniṃ svaprabhāvena darśayitvā vismāpayati” |
毗湿摩耶那说道：“耆吉沙毗耶并无真实苦行；他只是以自身威力示现，使阿悉多仙人惊异罢了。”随后，诸仙之首那罗陀对诸天说道：“耆吉沙毗耶的修持并非真正的tapas；他不过借其影响之力，炫耀以惑阿悉多，使之沉入惊叹。”此段以对照之法，分明指出：真正的苦行根植于克制与谦卑；而为取悦他人、求其称叹的神通炫示，不过是虚饰之举。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage warns that true tapas is not the exhibition of extraordinary powers to impress others. Authentic ascetic discipline is measured by inner restraint, sincerity, and humility; using spiritual potency to create amazement is portrayed as lacking genuine austerity.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports a judgment about Jaigīṣavya: he is said to lack real tapas because he is astonishing the sage Asita by showing his power. Then Nārada, the foremost sage, conveys this assessment to the gods, framing the event as a critique of performative spirituality.