Shloka 20
Vaitaraṇī-tīrtha and the Devayāna Path
Kaliṅga Episode
न मां मर्त्याय भगवन् कस्मैचिद् दातुम्हसि । प्रदानं मोघधमेतत् ते यास्याम्येषा रसातलम्,कुन्तीकुमार! उनके द्वारा अपना दान होते ही पृथ्वी बहुत दुःखी हो गयी और कुपित हो लोकनाथ प्रभु ब्रह्मासे इस प्रकार बोली--“भगवन्! आप मुझे किसी मनुष्यको न सौँपें। यदि मुझे मनुष्यको सौंपेंगे तो वह व्यर्थ होगा, क्योंकि मैं अभी रसातलको चली जाऊँगी'
na māṁ martyāya bhagavan kasmaicid dātum arhasi | pradānaṁ moghadham etat te yāsyāmyeṣā rasātalam, kuntīkumāra |
“ভগৱন! মোক কোনো মর্ত্যমানৱক দান কৰা আপোনাৰ বাবে উচিত নহয়। যদি মোক মানুহক দিব, তেন্তে আপোনাৰ এই দান নিষ্ফল হ’ব; কিয়নো মই এতিয়াই ৰসাতললৈ গুচি যাম।”
लोमश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights a dharmic limit: the Earth (and by extension nature and sovereignty) is not a mere object for private possession. When cosmic entities are treated as transferable property, the act becomes ‘mogha’ (futile) and disrupts the proper order; rightful rule is stewardship aligned with dharma, not absolute ownership.
Lomaśa narrates that the Earth, distressed at being ‘given’ to a mortal, protests to Brahmā. She asks not to be entrusted to any human, declaring that if such a transfer occurs she will descend to Rasātala, making the grant meaningless. The address ‘Kuntīkumāra’ indicates Lomaśa is speaking to Yudhiṣṭhira.