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Shloka 15

Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya

तदगतार्थ हि पुरुषं विशिष्टततरयोनय: । ब्रह्माणमिव भूतानि सततं पर्युपासते,जैसे सब प्राणी सदा ब्रह्माजीकी उपासना करते हैं, उसी प्रकार उत्तम जातिके मनुष्य भी सदा धनवान्‌ पुरुषकी उपासना किया करते हैं

tad-agatārthaṃ hi puruṣaṃ viśiṣṭatarayonayaḥ | brahmāṇam iva bhūtāni satataṃ paryupāsate ||

Arjuna sprach: „Wahrlich, Menschen von höherer Geburt und Stellung umgeben unablässig den, der sein Ziel erreicht hat — den Wohlhabenden und Einflussreichen —, so wie alle Wesen fortwährend Brahmā verehren. Die Welt, von Vorteil und Abhängigkeit bewegt, neigt sich zu Macht und Reichtum.“

तद्that (object/thing)
तद्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formneuter, accusative, singular
अगतार्थम्one who has not attained the goal/meaning
अगतार्थम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअगतार्थ
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
पुरुषम्man/person
पुरुषम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
विशिष्टतर-योनयःthose of a superior birth/class
विशिष्टतर-योनयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविशिष्टतर-योनि
Formfeminine, nominative, plural
ब्रह्माणम्Brahmā (the creator)
ब्रह्माणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन्
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
भूतानिbeings/creatures
भूतानि:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभूत
Formneuter, nominative, plural
सततम्always/constantly
सततम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसततम्
पर्युपासतेthey attend upon/worship
पर्युपासते:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-आस् (आस्)
Formpresent, indicative, ātmanepada, third, plural

अजुन उवाच

A
Arjuna
B
Brahmā
B
bhūtāni (all beings)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights a moral-psychological truth: society often shows reverence not purely from virtue but from dependence and perceived benefit—people naturally cluster around success, authority, and wealth, much as beings are said to revere the cosmic creator.

In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Arjuna speaks to underscore how people—especially those of status—tend to serve and honor a prosperous, influential person, using the analogy of universal reverence toward Brahmā.