Shloka 12

अश्वशिरो-आख्यानम्

Aśvaśiras / Hayaśiras Narrative: Retrieval of the Vedas

Devanagari script

तपसा तेजसा चैव दुर्निरीक्ष्यौ सुरैरपि । यस्य प्रसाद कुर्वाते स देवौ द्रष्टमहति

Transliteration

tapasā tejasā caiva durnirīkṣyau surair api | yasya prasādaṃ kurvāte sa devau draṣṭum arhati ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“凭借苦行与灵性光辉，那两位甚至令诸天也难以直视。唯有蒙他们赐福者，方堪得见那两位神圣之主。”

Word by Word

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• तेजसा: by splendor/energy
• तेजसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• दुर्निरीक्ष्यौ: hard to look at
• दुर्निरीक्ष्यौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्निरीक्ष्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• सुरैः: by the gods
• सुरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• प्रसादम्: favor/grace
• प्रसादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्वाते: they bestow/do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, Third, Dual

• सः: he (that person)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देवौ: the two gods
• देवौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Infinitive

• अर्हति: is worthy/able
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• sura (the gods)
• devau (two divine beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Spiritual vision is not merely a matter of effort or status: intense austerity generates such tejas that even gods cannot easily behold it, and true access (darśana) depends on prasāda—divine favor—granted to the worthy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes two divine beings whose prolonged tapas has made their radiance unbearable to look at; consequently, only those whom they choose to favor can obtain their darśana.