Shloka 8
Marutta Seeks a Priest: Bṛhaspati’s Refusal and Nārada’s Guidance to Saṃvarta
Chapter 6
बुहस्पतिर्वाच अमर्त्य याजयित्वाहं याजयिष्ये कथं नरम् । मरुत्त गच्छ वा मा वा निवृत्तो<स्म्यद्य याजनात्
bṛhaspatir uvāca | amartya yājayitvāhaṃ yājayiṣye kathaṃ naram | marutta gaccha vā mā vā nivṛtto 'smy adya yājanāt ||
বৃহস্পতি বললেন—“অমরদের যজ্ঞ সম্পন্ন করিয়ে আমি এখন কীভাবে মর্ত্য মানুষের যজ্ঞ করাব? মরুত্ত, তুমি যাও বা থাকো; আজ থেকে আমি পুরোহিত-কর্মে আর প্রবৃত্ত হব না।”
मरुत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethics of role and eligibility in ritual duty: a priest may set boundaries based on perceived propriety and status, and withdrawal from an action can be framed as a principled decision rather than mere refusal.
Bṛhaspati addresses Marutta and declines to officiate his human sacrifice, stating that after conducting sacrifices for the immortals he will not perform one for a mortal; he declares himself withdrawn from priestly officiation for this request.