Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच सर्वमेतत्तपोमूलं कवयः परिचक्षते न ह्यतप्ततपा मूढः क्रियाफलमवाप्यते
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said They who arc endued with knowledge say that everything springs from penance. That foolish person who has not practised penances does not get the rewards of even his own acts.
प्रजापतिरिदं सर्वं तपसैवासृजत्प्रभुः तथैव वेदानृषयस्तपसा प्रतिपेदिरे
M. N. Dutt: The powerful Creator created all this universe with the help of penances. In ihe same way, the Rishis won ihe Vedas by the power of penanccs.
तपसो ह्यानुपूर्व्येण फलमूलानिलाशनाः त्रीँल्लोकांस्तपसा सिद्धाः पश्यन्ति सुसमाहिताः
M. N. Dutt: It was by the help of penances that the Grandfather created food, fruits and roots. It is one by penances that ascetics behold the three worlds, with enraptured souls.
औषधान्यगदादीनि तिस्रो विद्याश्च संस्कृताः तपसैव हि सिध्यन्ति तपोमूलं हि साधनम्
M. N. Dutt: Medicines and all antidotes to poisonous articles, and the various acts (seen here), produce their intended results through the help of penance. The fulfilment of all purposes depends upon penance.
यद्दुरापं दुराम्नायं दुराधर्षं दुरुत्सहम् सर्वं तत्तपसा शक्यं तपो हि दुरतिक्रमम्
AI Translation: What is difficult to obtain, difficult to understand, difficult to approach, difficult to bear, all that can be done by asceticism, for asceticism is difficult to overcome.
सुरापोऽसंमतादायी भ्रूणहा गुरुतल्पगः तपसैव सुतप्तेन नरः पापाद्विमुच्यते
M. N. Dutt: A person who takes intoxicating liquors, who appropriates others' properties without their consent, one guilty of foeticide, one who violates his preceptor's bed, are all purified by penance duly performed.
तपसो बहुरूपस्य तैस्तैर्द्वारैः प्रवर्ततः निवृत्त्या वर्तमानस्य तपो नानशनात्परम्
M. N. Dutt: Penances manifold. They throw themselves through various channels. Of all sorts of penance, however, that one may practise after abstaining from pleasure and enjoyment, abstention from food is the greatest and best.
अहिंसा सत्यवचनं दानमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः एतेभ्यो हि महाराज तपो नानशनात्परम्
M. N. Dutt: The penance of abstention from food is superior, O king, even to mercy, truthfulness, gifts, and restraint of senses.
न दुष्करतरं दानान्नातिमातरमाश्रमः त्रैविद्येभ्यः परं नास्ति संन्यासः परमं तपः
M. N. Dutt: There is not act more hard to perform than gift. There is no mode of life which is superior to serving one's mother. There is no creature are superior to those who are conversant with the three Vedas. Likewise, Renunciation is the highest penance.
इन्द्रियाणीह रक्षन्ति धनधान्याभिगुप्तये तस्मादर्थे च धर्मे च तपो नानशनात्परम्
M. N. Dutt: People restrain their senses for taking care of their virtue and heaven. There is no penance higher than abstention from food in control over the senses as also in the acquisition of virtue.
ऋषयः पितरो देवा मनुष्या मृगसत्तमाः यानि चान्यानि भूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च
AI Translation: The sages, the ancestors, the gods, the humans, the best of animals, and all other beings, both immobile and mobile,
Supplementary Passages:
12.155.11 For 11cd, B0.3.5 subst.: *403 स्थावराणि च भूतानि चराण्यन्यानि यानि च
तपःपरायणाः सर्वे सिध्यन्ति तपसा च ते इत्येवं तपसा देवा महत्त्वं चाप्यवाप्नुवन्
AI Translation: All of them were devoted to austerities and were successful through austerities. Thus, through austerities, the gods attained greatness.
इमानीष्टविभागानि फलानि तपसा सदा तपसा शक्यते प्राप्तुं देवत्वमपि निश्चयात्
M. N. Dutt: The luminous bodies in the sky have got their position through penance. Forsooth, through penance the very status of godhead may be gained.