Shloka 21
Jaratkāru-nirukti and Parīkṣit’s forest encounter (जরত्कारुनिरुक्तिः—परिक्षिद्वनप्रसङ्गः)
ब्रह्मोवाच अधो महीं गच्छ भुजड़मोत्तम स्वयं तवैषा विवरं प्रदास्यति । इमां धरां धारयता त्वया हि मे महत् प्रियं शेष कृतं भविष्यति,ब्रद्माजीने कहा--नागराज शेष! तुम पृथ्वीके नीचे चले जाओ। यह स्वयं तुम्हें वहाँ जानेके लिये मार्ग दे देगी। इस पृथ्वीको धारण कर लेनेपर तुम्हारे द्वारा मेरा अत्यन्त प्रिय कार्य सम्पन्न हो जायगा
brahmovāca—adho mahīṁ gaccha bhujaṅgamottama; svayaṁ tavaiṣā vivaraṁ pradāsyati | imāṁ dharāṁ dhārayatā tvayā hi me mahat priyaṁ śeṣa kṛtaṁ bhaviṣyati ||
Brahmā said: “O best of serpents, go down beneath the earth; she herself will grant you an opening as a passage. By bearing this earth, O Śeṣa, you will accomplish for me a great and most cherished task.”
शेष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as willing service to uphold cosmic stability: Śeṣa’s acceptance of the burden of the earth is portrayed as a cherished, righteous act that sustains the world-order.
Brahmā instructs Śeṣa to go beneath the earth; the earth will open a passage for him. Śeṣa is to support (bear) the earth from below, thereby fulfilling Brahmā’s important purpose.