Mahabharata · 1.201.6–7
॥
Devanāgarī
कृत्वा दीक्षां गतौ विन्ध्यं तत्रोग्रं तेपतुस् तपः ॥
तौ तु दीर्घेण कालेन तपोयुक्तौ बभूवतुः ॥
क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्तौ जटावल्कलधारिणौ ॥
मलोपचितसर्वाङ्गौ वायुभक्षौ बभूवतुः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kṛtvā dīkṣāṃ gatau vindhyaṃ tatrograṃ tepatus tapaḥ ||
tau tu dīrgheṇa kālena tapoyuktau babhūvatuḥ ||
kṣutpipāsāpariśrāntau jaṭāvalkaladhāriṇau ||
malopacitasarvāṅgau vāyubhakṣau babhūvatuḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कृत्वा दीक्षां गतौ विन्ध्यं तत्र उग्रं तेपतुः तपःkṛtvā dīkṣāṃ gatau vindhyaṃ tatra ugraṃ tepatuḥ tapaḥhaving taken initiation [diksha], they went to the Vindhya; there they performed fierce austerity;
तौ तु दीर्घेण कालेन तपोयुक्तौ बभूवतुःtau tu dīrgheṇa kālena tapoyuktau babhūvatuḥand over a long time they became accomplished in austerity;
क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्तौ जटावल्कलधारिणौkṣutpipāsāpariśrāntau jaṭāvalkaladhāriṇauworn out by hunger and thirst, wearing matted locks and bark,
मलोपचितसर्वाङ्गौ वायुभक्षौ बभूवतुःmalopacitasarvāṅgau vāyubhakṣau babhūvatuḥwith all their limbs caked in dirt, they became air-eaters;
तत्रोग्रंtatrograṃoriginal form "tatrograṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तेपतुस्tepatusoriginal form "tepatus", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Having taken initiation, they went to the Vindhya; there they performed fierce austerity; and over a long time they became accomplished in austerity; worn out by hunger and thirst, wearing matted locks and bark, with all their limbs caked in dirt, they became air-eaters."
Version
2f89f42103c3 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:01:16 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here even asuras display the power of severe austerity. It is telling that the brothers wear themselves down with fasting and tapas for the sake of a goal: austerity is potent regardless of who performs it. Here is the lesson: tapas in itself is neutral -- it gives strength to the righteous and the unrighteous alike; what matters is the aim set before it. Thus the scripture shows the might of asceticism; and the asuras' fearsome diligence prepares their fateful boon.