Shloka 27
धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)
मेरे किये हुए कार्यको प्रमाण या आदर्श मानकर सब लोग उसका अनुसरण करते हैं। जिनकी पूजनीयता वेदशास्त्रोंद्वारा प्रमाणित है, उन्हीं देवताओंकी पूजा करनी चाहिये। ऐसा सोचकर ही मैं रुद्रदेवकी पूजा करता हूँ। जो रुद्रको जानता है, वह मुझे जानता है। जो उनका अनुगामी है, वह मेरा भी अनुगामी है ।। रुद्रो नारायणश्लैव सत्त्वमेकं द्विधाकृतम् । लोके चरति कौन्तेय व्यक्तिस्थं सर्वकर्मसु,कुन्तीनन्दन! रुद्र और नारायण दोनों एक ही स्वरूप हैं, जो दो स्वरूप धारण करके भिन्न-भिन्न व्यक्तियोंमें स्थित हो संसारमें यज्ञ आदि सब कर्मामें प्रवृत्त होते हैं
arjuna uvāca | mayā kṛtaṃ karma pramāṇaṃ vā ādarśaṃ vā kṛtvā sarve lokā anusaranti | yāṃ devatāṃ vedāḥ śāstrāṇi ca pramāṇayanti tāṃ devatām eva pūjayitavyām iti matvāhaṃ rudradevaṃ pūjayāmi | yo rudraṃ jānāti sa mām jānāti | yo 'sya anugāmī sa mama api anugāmī || rudro nārāyaṇaś caiva sattvam ekaṃ dvidhākṛtam | loke carati kaunteya vyaktisthaṃ sarvakarmasu ||
Arjuna said: “People take my actions as a standard and follow them. Therefore, thinking that only those deities whose venerability is affirmed by the Vedas and the śāstras should be worshipped, I worship Lord Rudra. Whoever truly knows Rudra knows me; whoever follows him follows me as well. For Rudra and Nārāyaṇa are in truth one and the same Reality, appearing in two forms. O son of Kuntī, that single essence moves through the world, present in distinct persons, and engaged in all actions—such as sacrifices and other sacred rites.”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that exemplary persons must act with scriptural responsibility, and that Rudra and Nārāyaṇa are ultimately one Reality appearing in two forms; devotion to one, when grounded in true knowledge, is not opposed to the other.
Arjuna explains his own practice of worship: since people imitate his conduct, he follows what he regards as Vedic-śāstric authority and worships Rudra, then asserts a theological reconciliation—Rudra and Nārāyaṇa are a single essence active in the world through distinct manifestations and rites.