caupā’ī.
karahi jā'i tapu sailakumārī. nārada kahā sō satya bicārī. 1.
mātu pitahi puni yaha mata bhāvā. tapu sukhaprada dukha dōṣa nasāvā. 2.
The noble Brahmin told me in my dreams—‘Oh Sailkumari (the daughter of the
mountains)! Go and do Tapa, realising the truth of Narad’s words. (1)
Even your parents (mother and father) have agreed to this viewpoint that Tapa
is always a provider of happiness and an eliminator of all sorrows and grief.^1 (2)
[Note—^1 A similar idea is expressed in Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line
no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 163.]
ì’‹ ⁄Uøß ¬ ̋¬¢øÈ Á’œÊÃÊ – ì’‹ Á’cŸÈ ‚∑§‹ ¡ª òÊÊÃÊH 3H
ì’‹ ‚¢÷È ∑§⁄U®„U ‚¢ÉÊÊ⁄UÊ – ì’‹ ‚·È œ⁄Uß ◊Á„U÷Ê⁄UÊH 4H
ì •œÊ⁄U ‚’ ‚ÎÁCÔU ÷flÊŸË – ∑§⁄UÁ„U ¡Êß Ã¬È •‚ Á¡ÿ° ¡ÊŸËH 5H
tapabala raca'i prapan̄cu bidhātā. tapabala biṣnu sakala jaga trātā. 3.
tapabala sambhu karahiṁ saṅghārā. tapabala sēṣu dhara'i mahibhārā. 4.
tapa adhāra saba sṛṣṭi bhavānī. karahi jā'i tapu asa jiyam̐ jānī. 5.
The creator Vidhata has created this complicated and diversified universe on the
strength of Tapa (austerity, penance, suffering hardship for some noble cause). It is on
the strength of Tapa that Lord Vishnu is able to eliminate all miseries that afflict this
creation and is able to sustain and look after its welfare. (3)
It is on the strength of Tapa that Lord Shambhu (Shiva) finally annihilates the
world (when its life ends and the time comes to wind up one cycle of creation so as to
pave the way for a new one). It is on the strength of Tapa that Lord Seshnath (the
legendary celestial serpent) is able to bear the weight of the earth on his hood
(because it is believed that the earth is supported from below by Seshnath who holds
it on his hood. (4)
Oh Bhavaani^1! The entire creation is founded on the strength of Tapa (i.e. all
the activities associated with this creation—its origin, sustenance and conclusion; its
various activities and changes; its evolution and diversity, et-al—derive their energy
and momentum by the virtue of its patron deities responsible for its various functions
doing Tapa to enable them to carry out their assigned duties)^2.
Therefore, realising the stupendous strength and immense potentials of Tapa
(and how its practice enables the practitioner to achieve super-natural powers that
makes it possible for one to do feats that would be otherwise beyond imagination and
one’s abilites), you must go and do Tapa (to overcome the hurdles in your fate, and to
attain the hands of Lord Shiva in marriage as advised by Narad).’ (5)
[Note—^1 Bhavaani is the divine consort of Lord Bhava, Shiva. By addressing Uma as
‘Bhavaani’, the Brahmin who appeared in Uma’s dream implied that if she wishes to
attain this exalted stature of being the consort of Lord Bhava, then the only way it to
do Tapa.
(^2) A similar idea exhorting the virtues and astounding empowering abilites of Tapa is
expressed in Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line nos. 2-3 that precede Doha
no. 163.]