Shloka 23
Nāga–Nāgabhāryā Saṃvāda: Varṇa-Dharma, Gṛhastha-Discipline, and Mokṣa-Self-Inquiry
Mahābhārata 12.347
पितामहपिता चैव अहमेवात्र कारणम् | इत्येतदुक्त्वा वचनं देवदेवो वृषाकपि:,पितामहका पिता-परदादा भी मैं ही हूँ। मैं ही इस जगत्का कारण हूँ। विप्रवर! ऐसी बात कहकर देवाधिदेव भगवान् वराहने वराहपर्वतपर विस्तारपूर्वक पिण्डदान दे पितरोंके रूपमें अपने आपका ही पूजन करके वहीं अन्तर्धान हो गये
pitāmahapitā caiva aham evātra kāraṇam | ity etad uktvā vacanaṁ devadevo vṛṣākapiḥ ||
Nārada berkata: “Akulah sesungguhnya bapa kepada Sang Nenda (Brahmā), dan akulah sahaja punca di sini—penyebab dunia ini.” Setelah mengucapkan kata-kata itu, Dewa segala dewa—Vṛṣākapi (Viṣṇu)—di Gunung Varāha melaksanakan piṇḍadāna (persembahan kepada leluhur) dengan lengkap dan terperinci. Dengan mengambil rupa para Pitṛ, baginda menyembah tiada lain selain dirinya sendiri, lalu lenyap dari tempat itu juga.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the supreme deity is the ultimate cause—even beyond Brahmā—yet still upholds dharma by performing and honoring ancestral rites. It models humility within supremacy: cosmic sovereignty does not negate ritual responsibility.
Nārada reports that Viṣṇu (called Vṛṣākapi) declares himself the source of all, then performs piṇḍadāna on Varāha-mountain, worshipping himself in the form of the Pitṛs, and finally vanishes from the spot.