Shloka 54
अपूजयं च मनसा रौक्मिणेय सदा द्विजान् | रुक्मिणीनन्दन! वे सारी वस्तुएँ नूतन और सुदृढ़ रूपमें उपलब्ध हैं, यह देखकर मुझे बड़ा आश्चर्य हुआ और मैंने मन-ही-मन द्विजोंकी सदा ही पूजा की ।।
apūjayaṃ ca manasā raukmiṇeya sadā dvijān | rukmiṇīnandana! ye sarvā vastūni nūtana-sudṛḍha-rūpeṇa upalabdhāni, iti dṛṣṭvā mama mahad āścaryaṃ jātaṃ, mayā ca mana eva dvijān sadā pūjitāḥ || ity ahaṃ raukmiṇeyasya pṛcchato bharatarṣabha ||
Vāyu berkata: “Wahai Raukmiṇeya, putra Rukmiṇī, di dalam hati aku senantiasa memuliakan para brāhmaṇa. Ketika kulihat segala sesuatu tersedia seakan baru dibuat, kukuh dan utuh, aku diliputi keheranan besar; maka dalam batin aku terus-menerus mempersembahkan hormat kepada para dwija. Demikianlah ucapanku, wahai yang termulia di antara keturunan Bharata, ketika Raukmiṇeya menanyai aku.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights inward reverence (manasā pūjā) toward the dvijas/Brahmins as a dharmic attitude: gratitude and respect are not merely external rituals but can be sincerely maintained in the mind, especially upon witnessing order, abundance, and well-maintained provisions.
Vāyu addresses Kṛṣṇa (Raukmiṇeya, son of Rukmiṇī), describing his astonishment at finding all items available in a fresh and sturdy condition; moved by this auspicious sight, he honors the Brahmins mentally. The closing line frames this as part of Vāyu’s reply while being questioned, addressed to “Bharatarṣabha.”