Shloka 187
Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment
Parāśara’s Instruction
वेदात् षडज्भादुद्धृत्य सांख्ययोगाच्च युक्तित: । तप: सुतप्तं विपुलं॑ दुश्चरं देवदानवै:
vedāt ṣaḍaṅgād uddhṛtya sāṅkhyayogāc ca yuktitaḥ | tapaḥ sutaptaṃ vipulaṃ duścaraṃ devadānavaiḥ ||
“取法于《吠陀》及其六支辅学，又以数论（Sāṅkhya）、瑜伽（Yoga）与正理推证加以印可，远古之时，诸天与达那婆（Dānava）曾修行广大而艰难的苦行。然而，我将告知你一项更为殊胜的誓戒。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the greatest austerities, validated by Vedic learning, Vedāṅgas, Sāṅkhya-Yoga, and reasoning, are not presented as the final summit; Bhīṣma signals that there exists a vow (vrata) ethically higher than sheer hardship, implying that true excellence lies in the quality and purpose of discipline, not only its intensity.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction during the Śānti Parva, he recalls an ancient benchmark: the immense, difficult tapas performed by both gods and Dānavas, grounded in scriptural and philosophical authority. He then pivots to introduce a teaching about an even superior vow, preparing the listener for a higher standard of dharmic practice.