Shloka 17
त्रिवर्गमूलनिश्चयः — Determining the Roots of Dharma, Artha, and Kāma
Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 123
तब उन्होंने बहुत वर्षोतक अपने मस्तकपर एक गर्भ धारण किया। जब एक हजार वर्ष बीत गये, तब ब्रह्माजीको छींक आयी और वह गर्भ नीचे गिर पड़ा ।।
tataḥ sa bahuvarṣotkaṁ garbhaṁ mastake dhārayām āsa | yadā sahasraṁ varṣāṇi vyatītāni tadā brahmaṇaḥ kṣut samajāyata sa ca garbho 'dhaḥ papāta || sa kṣupo nāma sambhūtaḥ prajāpatiḥ arindama | ṛtvig āsīn mahārāja yajñe tasya mahātmanaḥ ||
Kemudian baginda menanggung suatu embrio yang menakjubkan di atas kepalanya selama bertahun-tahun. Apabila seribu tahun berlalu, Brahmā bersin, lalu embrio itu jatuh ke bawah. Daripadanya lahirlah seorang Prajāpati bernama Kṣupa, wahai penunduk musuh. Wahai raja, dalam korban suci (yajña) Brahmā yang berhati agung itu, Kṣupa berkhidmat sebagai pendeta pelaksana upacara (ṛtvij).
वसुहरोम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores the primacy of yajña (ordered ritual action) in sustaining cosmic and social order: even a newly manifested progenitor (Prajāpati) is defined by service within Brahmā’s sacrifice, suggesting that authority and creation are grounded in dharmic function rather than mere birth.
Vasuharoma narrates a marvel: an embryo is borne on the head for a thousand years; when Brahmā sneezes, it falls and a child is born, named Kṣupa. This Kṣupa becomes a Prajāpati and serves as the ṛtvij in Brahmā’s sacrificial rite.