Shloka 20
धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)
निमित्तमात्रं तावत्र सर्वप्राणिवरप्रदौ । कपर्दी जटिलो मुण्ड: श्मशानगृहसेवक:
nimittamātraṃ tāvatra sarvaprāṇivarapradau | kapardī jaṭilo muṇḍaḥ śmaśānagṛhasevakaḥ |
Arjuna berkata: “Dalam hal ini, kedua-dua dewa—penganugerahan kurnia kepada segala makhluk—hanyalah sebab perantaraan bagi penciptaan dan peleraian. Antara mereka, Rudra sang pemusnah dikenali dengan banyak gelaran: Kapardī (berambut gumpal), Jaṭila (pertapa berambut kusut), Muṇḍa (berkepala cukur), penghuni tanah pembakaran mayat, pengamal nazar yang keras, yogin, yang amat menggerunkan, pemusnah korban suci Dakṣa, dan perampas mata Bhaga—menandakan bahawa peristiwa kosmik berlangsung di bawah kehendak tertinggi, sedangkan dewa-dewa agung pun berfungsi sebagai alat dalam tatanan itu.”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even powerful deities who preside over creation and destruction can be understood as ‘nimitta-mātra’—instrumental agents—within a higher, overarching will and cosmic order; this frames divine power in terms of delegated function rather than ultimate autonomy.
Arjuna is describing the role and names of Rudra (Śiva), emphasizing Rudra’s fearsome ascetic attributes and mythic deeds (like destroying Dakṣa’s sacrifice and taking Bhaga’s eye) while asserting that such cosmic acts occur as part of a larger divine governance.