Shloka 7
Varāha-avatāra: The Boar Incarnation Lifts the Earth and Slays Hiraṇyākṣa
त्वमेक: सर्वभूतानां जन्मकृद् वृत्तिद: पिता । तथापि न: प्रजानां ते शुश्रूषा केन वा भवेत् ॥ ७ ॥
tvam ekaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ janma-kṛd vṛttidaḥ pitā tathāpi naḥ prajānāṁ te śuśrūṣā kena vā bhavet
आप ही समस्त जीवों के जन्मदाता, पालनकर्ता और पिता हैं; फिर भी हम आपकी प्रजा हैं—कृपा करके आज्ञा दीजिए कि हम किस प्रकार आपकी सेवा कर सकें।
A son’s duty is not only to make the father the source of supply for all his needs, but also, when he is grown up, to render service unto him. That is the law of creation beginning from the time of Brahmā. A father’s duty is to bring up the son until he is grown, and when the son is grown up, it is his duty to render service unto the father.
FAQs
This verse expresses humble gratitude: since the creator sustains all beings, the sages feel their service can never fully repay that debt, highlighting reverence and humility as the foundation of seva.
In the narrative, the sages approach Brahma with deep respect, acknowledging him as the secondary creator and sustainer of the universe, and they express their feeling of inadequacy to serve him properly.
Cultivate humility and gratitude toward those who support your life—parents, teachers, and ultimately the Divine—and serve them sincerely without entitlement, seeing service as a privilege rather than a transaction.