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Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 16

कपिलगोसंवादे गृहस्थ-त्यागधर्मयोः प्रमाण्यविचारः

Kapila–Cow Dialogue: Authority of Householder and Renunciant Dharmas

वातातपसहो ग्रीष्मे न च धर्ममविन्दत । दुःखशय्याश्व विविधा भूमौ च परिवर्तते

vātātapasaho grīṣme na ca dharmam avindata | duḥkhaśayyāś ca vividhā bhūmau ca parivartate ||

毗湿摩说道:“夏日里他忍受灼热之风与烈日炙烤,却仍未获得真正的法。各种痛苦的卧具上他都躺过,又在裸露的大地上翻滚——以多种方式拥抱艰苦——然而对正义的真实领悟并未在他心中生起。”

वातातपसहःenduring wind and heat
वातातपसहः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवातातपसह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ग्रीष्मेin summer
ग्रीष्मे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootग्रीष्म
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
धर्मम्dharma; true duty
धर्मम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अविन्दतfound; obtained
अविन्दत:
TypeVerb
Rootविद्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
दुःखशय्याःpainful beds; hard couches
दुःखशय्याः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदुःखशय्या
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
विविधाःvarious
विविधाः:
TypeAdjective
Rootविविध
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
भूमौon the ground; on earth
भूमौ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभूमि
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
परिवर्ततेrolls about; turns over
परिवर्तते:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत्
FormPresent (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
S
summer (Grishma)
W
wind (Vata)
S
sun-heat (Atapa)
E
earth/ground (Bhumi)

Educational Q&A

Severe austerity and physical mortification—enduring heat, wind, and painful sleeping practices—do not by themselves yield realization of dharma. Ethical clarity and right understanding are distinct from mere suffering.

Bhishma describes an ascetic figure who undertakes extreme bodily hardships (bearing summer heat, lying on painful beds, rolling on the ground), yet fails to attain the true knowledge or realization of dharma.