Shloka 266
अवश्यं हि त्वया ब्रह्मन् मत्तो ग्राह्मो वरो द्विज । भगवान् विष्णु बोले--सज्जनशिरोमणे! मैं तुम्हारी लोभशून्यता एवं उत्तम भक्तिसे तुमपर बहुत प्रसन्न हूँ। ब्रह्मन! तुम्हें मुझसे कोई वर अवश्य लेना चाहिये
avaśyaṃ hi tvayā brahman matto grāhyo varo dvija | bhagavān viṣṇur uvāca—sajjanaśiromaṇe! ahaṃ tava lobhaśūnyatāyāḥ uttamabhakteś ca tuṣṭaḥ | brahman, tvaṃ mattaḥ kaścid varaṃ niyataṃ vṛṇīṣva |
Bhagavān Viṣṇu bersabda: “Wahai permata mahkota di antara orang saleh! Aku sangat berkenan karena engkau bebas dari loba dan memiliki bhakti yang luhur. Maka, wahai Brahmana, mintalah dengan pasti suatu anugerah dariku.”
उत्तड्ुक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that freedom from greed (lobha-śūnyatā) and sincere devotion (bhakti) are ethically elevating qualities that attract divine favor; grace is portrayed as responding to inner virtue rather than worldly power.
In the Uttanka episode of the Vana Parva, a boon is being offered: Uttanka urges that a boon must be accepted, and Viṣṇu—pleased by Uttanka’s non-greed and devotion—invites him to choose a desired boon.