Shloka 26
वृत्ति-सत्सङ्ग-दान-धर्म
Livelihood, Virtuous Association, and Ethics of Giving
महेश्वर उवाच सुरैरेव महाभागे पूर्वमेतदनुछितम् । यज्ञेषु सर्वेषु मम न भाग उपकल्पित:
Maheśvara uvāca: surair eva mahābhāge pūrvam etad anuṣṭhitam | yajñeṣu sarveṣu mama na bhāga upakalpitaḥ ||
ಮಹೇಶ್ವರನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಹೇ ಮಹಾಭಾಗೆ! ಪೂರ್ವದಲ್ಲೇ ದೇವತೆಗಳೇ ಈ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯನ್ನು ನಿಶ್ಚಯಿಸಿದ್ದರು; ಎಲ್ಲ ಯಜ್ಞಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ನನಗೆ ಭಾಗವನ್ನು ನಿಗದಿಪಡಿಸಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವರ ಹಿಂದಿನ ನಿರ್ಣಯದಿಂದಲೇ ನಾನು ಯಜ್ಞಭಾಗದಿಂದ ಹೊರಗಿಡಲ್ಪಟ್ಟೆನು.
महेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how ritual systems and social-religious arrangements can be shaped by prior collective decisions, and how exclusion from honor (bhāga) becomes a moral and theological issue—inviting reflection on rightful recognition, fairness, and the limits of merely formal ritual without inclusive reverence.
Maheśvara explains to a addressed ‘mahābhāgā’ that the devas had earlier instituted a rule in which, across sacrifices, no sacrificial portion was assigned to him; he is stating the background cause of his lack of share in yajñas.