स लोकान् अफलान् दृष्ट्वा तपसा निर्जितान् अपि ॥
पप्रच्छ धर्मराजस्य समीपस्थान् दिवौकसः ॥
किमर्थम् आवृता लोका ममैते तपसार्जिताः ॥
किं मया न कृतं तत्र यस्येदं कर्मणः फलम् ॥
तत्राहं तत् करिष्यामि यदर्थम् इदम् आवृतम् ॥
फलम् एतस्य तपसः कथयध्वं दिवौकसः ॥
sa lokān aphalān dṛṣṭvā tapasā nirjitān api ||
papraccha dharmarājasya samīpasthān divaukasaḥ ||
kimartham āvṛtā lokā mamaite tapasārjitāḥ ||
kiṃ mayā na kṛtaṃ tatra yasyedaṃ karmaṇaḥ phalam ||
tatrāhaṃ tat kariṣyāmi yadartham idam āvṛtam ||
phalam etasya tapasaḥ kathayadhvaṃ divaukasaḥ ||
Mandapala said: "He, having seen the worlds fruitless though won by austerity, asked the celestials who stood near the King of dharma: 'Why are these worlds of mine, earned by austerity, closed to me? What have I not done, whose deed's fruit is this? That I will do, for whose sake it is closed; tell me the fruit of this austerity, O celestials.'"
69f42196cf88 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:49 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the ascetic humbly asks about his own omission. It is telling that Mandapala does not complain but asks what he has left undone: the wise seek the cause of failure in themselves. In this lies a lesson: even the great remain willing to learn and to fill what is lacking. So the scripture reveals Mandapala's humility; and the answer of the gods will point him to the duty of offspring.