Shloka 74
धर्मस्य बहुद्वारत्वम् — Nārada’s Audience with Indra (Śānti-parva 340)
अनिरुद्धात् तथा ब्रह्मा तन्नाभिकमलोद्धव: । ब्रह्मण: सर्वभूतानि चराणि स्थावराणि च
aniruddhāt tathā brahmā tannābhikamalodbhavaḥ | brahmaṇaḥ sarvabhūtāni carāṇi sthāvarāṇi ca ||
माझ्या अनिरुद्ध-मूर्तीपासून ब्रह्मा उत्पन्न होतात; ते माझ्या नाभिकमळातून प्रकट होतात. ब्रह्म्यापासून सर्व चराचर भूतांची उत्पत्ती होते.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a hierarchical and sacred origin of creation: Brahmā arises from Aniruddha (the Supreme’s form), and all beings—mobile and immobile—arise from Brahmā. Ethically, it supports reverence for all life as sharing a single divine-rooted origin.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma explains metaphysical origins and the structure of creation. He describes Brahmā’s emergence from the navel-lotus of the Supreme (here named via Aniruddha), then traces the emergence of all beings from Brahmā.