Shloka 19
धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)
एतौ द्वौ विबुधश्रेष्ठी प्रसादक्रो धजावुभौ । तदादेशितपन्थानौ सृष्टिसंहारकारकौ,ये दोनों श्रेष्ठ देवता--ब्रह्मा और रुद्र भगवानके प्रसाद और क्रोधसे प्रकट हुए हैं तथा उन्हींके बताये हुए मार्गका आश्रय ले सृष्टि और संहारका कार्य पूर्ण करते हैं
etau dvau vibudhaśreṣṭhī prasāda-krodha-jāv ubhau | tad-ādeśita-panthānau sṛṣṭi-saṃhāra-kārakau ||
Arjuna said: “These two foremost among the gods—Brahmā and Rudra—are manifested through His grace and His wrath. Following the path ordained by Him, they carry out the works of creation and dissolution.”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the highest cosmic functions—creation and dissolution—are carried out by exalted deities as instruments of the Supreme will; their powers arise from His grace and wrath, and they act by the path He ordains.
Arjuna is describing the cosmic hierarchy: Brahmā and Rudra, though supreme among gods, manifest and operate under a higher divine principle, executing creation and destruction according to that command.