Shloka 27
Adhyāya 152 — Bhīṣma’s Authorization for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Return to the Capital (नगरप्रवेशानुज्ञा)
गजड़ोवाच धन्यास्म्यनुगृहीतास्मि देवि धर्मपरायणे । या त्वं सर्वजगन्मान्या नदीं मानयसे5नघे
gajaḍa uvāca: dhanyāsmy anugṛhītāsmi devi dharmaparāyaṇe | yā tvaṁ sarvajaganmānyā nadīṁ mānayase ’naghe ||
Gajaḍa berkata: “Wahai Dewi yang teguh pada dharma, aku sungguh berbahagia; anugerah besar telah Engkau limpahkan kepadaku. Sebab meski Engkau dihormati segenap jagat, wahai yang tanpa noda, Engkau tetap memuliakan bahkan sebuah sungai yang kecil.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
True dharma expresses itself as humility and equal regard: even one who is universally revered shows grace by honoring what seems small or insignificant, making respect itself an ethical act.
Gajaḍa addresses a Goddess, expressing gratitude and amazement that she—despite being honored by the entire world—still chooses to show respect to a river, treating it as worthy of recognition.