Shloka 21
Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa
Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results
भुगुश्रेष्ठट उत्तम तपस्यासे युक्त, तेजस्वी और लोकविख्यात सभी सिद्ध देवता सभी लोकोंमें अग्निदेवकी खोज करते रहे
Bhīṣma uvāca — Bhṛguśreṣṭhaḥ uttama-tapasyāyuktaḥ tejasvī ca lokavikhyātaḥ; sarve siddhāḥ devatāś ca sarveṣu lokeṣu Agnidevaṃ mārgaṇāya paryeṣamāṇāḥ āsan.
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai yang terbaik di antara keturunan Bhṛgu, engkau berhias tapa tertinggi, bercahaya dan termasyhur di segala dunia. Maka para Siddha dan para dewa, di seluruh alam, terus-menerus mencari Agni, sang Dewa Api (Havyavāhana).”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical-spiritual primacy of tapas (disciplined austerity) and tejas (inner radiance): even gods and perfected beings undertake a collective quest for Agni, suggesting that divine power and cosmic order are sustained through disciplined seeking and reverence for foundational principles (fire as purifier, witness, and ritual center).
Bhishma addresses a foremost Bhṛgu-sage and describes a situation in which Siddhas and gods, across all realms, are searching for Agni. The line sets up or continues a mythic episode where Agni’s presence is crucial—often for sacrifice, purification, or restoring balance—prompting a widespread divine search.