Shloka 114

Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment

Parāśara’s Instruction

Devanagari script

स्थूल जीर्णाड़ जटिले वलल्‍्कलाजिनधारिणे । दीप्तसूर्याग्निजटिले वलकलाजिनवाससे । सहसतसूर्यप्रतिम तपोनित्य नमो<स्तु ते

Transliteration

sthūla-jīrṇāḍa-jaṭile valkalājinadhāriṇe | dīpta-sūryāgni-jaṭile valkalājinavāsase | sahasra-sūrya-pratima tapo-nitya namo 'stu te ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“向你致敬——你的圣身雄健，却又似被岁月磨砺；你结发为髻（jata），身披树皮纤维与羚羊皮。你炽烈的发绺如日如火而辉耀；树皮与兽皮便是你唯一的衣裳。你光明如千日，恒常安住于苦行（tapas）。我向你顶礼。”

Word by Word

• स्थूल: to the stout/large-bodied one
• स्थूल: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• जीर्ण: to the worn/aged one
• जीर्ण: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• आर्द्र: to the moist/damp one
• आर्द्र: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• जटिले: to the matted-haired one
• जटिले: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटिल
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• वल्कलाजिनधारिणे: to the wearer of bark-garment and antelope-skin
• वल्कलाजिनधारिणे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्कलाजिनधारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• दीप्तसूर्याग्निजटिले: to him whose matted hair is like blazing sun and fire
• दीप्तसूर्याग्निजटिले: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्तसूर्याग्निजटिल
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• वल्कलाजिनवाससे: to him whose clothing is bark and antelope-skin
• वल्कलाजिनवाससे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्कलाजिनवासस्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• सहस्रसूर्यप्रतिम: to the one comparable to a thousand suns
• सहस्रसूर्यप्रतिम: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्रसूर्यप्रतिम
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• तपोनित्य: to the one ever engaged in austerity
• तपोनित्य: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपोनित्य
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• नमः: salutation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस्

• अस्तु: let it be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• an unnamed ascetic (jaṭila/tapasvin)
• sun (sūrya)
• fire (agni)
• bark garment (valkala)
• antelope-skin/hide (ajina)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds the ascetic ideal: a life of simplicity (bark and hide), disciplined tapas, and inner radiance is worthy of the highest respect. It implies that spiritual merit and authority arise from self-control and sustained practice rather than external status.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma offers a formal salutation to a powerful ascetic figure, praising visible marks of renunciation—matted hair, austere clothing, and fiery radiance—while acknowledging the ascetic’s constant engagement in tapas. This fits the Śānti Parva’s broader setting of instruction and reverence for dharmic exemplars.