Shloka 39
Atithi-prāpti and the Brāhmaṇa’s Deliberation on Triadic Dharma (अतिथिप्राप्तिः धर्मत्रयविचारश्च)
वयं सृष्टा हि भगवंस्त्वया च प्रभविष्णुना । येन यस्मिन्नधीकारे वर्तितव्यं पितामह
vaiṁ sṛṣṭā hi bhagavaṁs tvayā ca prabhaviṣṇunā | yena yasminn adhikāre vartitavyaṁ pitāmaha ||
उन्होंने कहा—“भगवन्! पितामह! आप ही महान् प्रभावशाली हैं; आपने ही हम सबकी सृष्टि की है। आप ने हममें से प्रत्येक के लिए जो-जो अधिकार और कर्तव्य नियत किया है, उस अर्थसाधक धर्म का पालन अहंकारयुक्त हठ से कैसे हो सकता है?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that duties (adhikāra) are divinely/authoritatively assigned according to one’s role, and that true observance of such duty should be grounded in humility and alignment with ordained order—not in ego, pride, or stubborn self-will.
Vaiśampāyana reports a respectful address to the ‘Grandsire’ (Pitāmaha), acknowledging him as the powerful creator/ordainer who has allotted each being a proper domain of action. The speakers question how anyone could rightly fulfill that assigned duty if driven by arrogance.