Shloka 8
Marutta Seeks a Priest: Bṛhaspati’s Refusal and Nārada’s Guidance to Saṃvarta
Chapter 6
बुहस्पतिर्वाच अमर्त्य याजयित्वाहं याजयिष्ये कथं नरम् । मरुत्त गच्छ वा मा वा निवृत्तो<स्म्यद्य याजनात्,बृहस्पतिजीने कहा--मरुत्त! अमरोंका यज्ञ करानेके बाद मैं मरणधर्मा मनुष्योंका यज्ञ कैसे कराऊँगा? तुम जाओ या रहो। अब मैं मनुष्योंका यज्ञकार्य करानेसे निवृत्त हो गया हूँ
bṛhaspatir uvāca | amartya yājayitvāhaṃ yājayiṣye kathaṃ naram | marutta gaccha vā mā vā nivṛtto 'smy adya yājanāt ||
Bṛhaspati berkata: “Setelah aku menjadi pendeta yang memimpin korban suci bagi para dewa yang abadi, bagaimana mungkin kini aku mengendalikan korban suci bagi seorang manusia yang fana? Marutta, sama ada engkau pergi atau tinggal, pada hari ini aku telah menarik diri daripada tugas sebagai pendeta upacara.”
मरुत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethics of role and eligibility in ritual duty: a priest may set boundaries based on perceived propriety and status, and withdrawal from an action can be framed as a principled decision rather than mere refusal.
Bṛhaspati addresses Marutta and declines to officiate his human sacrifice, stating that after conducting sacrifices for the immortals he will not perform one for a mortal; he declares himself withdrawn from priestly officiation for this request.