Shloka 3
Guru’s Instruction on Dream, Mind, Guṇas, and Knowing Brahman
Svapna–Manas–Guṇa–Brahma-vicāra
तिर्यग्योनिगतं रूपं कथं धारितवान् प्रभु: । केन कार्यनिसर्गेण तमाख्याहि महाबल,महाबली पितामह! सम्पूर्ण जगतके प्रभु होकर भी इन्होंने किस निमित्तसे तिर्यग्योनिमें जन्म ग्रहण किया; यह मुझे बताइये
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: tiryagyonigataṃ rūpaṃ kathaṃ dhāritavān prabhuḥ | kena kāryanisargeṇa tam ākhyāhi mahābala, mahābalī pitāmaha ||
হে মহাবলী পিতামহ! সমগ্ৰ জগতৰ প্ৰভু হৈও তেওঁ কেনেকৈ তিৰ্যগ্যোনিগত ৰূপ ধাৰণ কৰিলে? কোন উদ্দেশ্য আৰু কোন কাৰণ-নিমিত্তে তেওঁ নিম্ন যোনিত জন্ম ল’লে—মোক সেই কথা ক’ব।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic inquiry into divine action: even the supreme Lord may assume seemingly lowly embodiments, and such descent is to be understood through purpose (kārya) and causal order (nisarga), not through ordinary limitation.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira questions Bhīṣma about a Lordly figure who took birth in an animal womb, asking what reason or mission required such an embodiment.