Shloka 266
पञ्चमहाभूतगुण-इन्द्रियनिग्रह-उपदेशः | Teaching on the Qualities of the Five Elements and Sense-Control
अवश्यं हि त्वया ब्रह्मन् मत्तो ग्राह्मो वरो द्विज । भगवान् विष्णु बोले--सज्जनशिरोमणे! मैं तुम्हारी लोभशून्यता एवं उत्तम भक्तिसे तुमपर बहुत प्रसन्न हूँ। ब्रह्मन! तुम्हें मुझसे कोई वर अवश्य लेना चाहिये
avaśyaṃ hi tvayā brahman matto grāhyo varo dvija | bhagavān viṣṇur uvāca—sajjanaśiromaṇe! ahaṃ tava lobhaśūnyatāyāḥ uttamabhakteś ca tuṣṭaḥ | brahman, tvaṃ mattaḥ kaścid varaṃ niyataṃ vṛṇīṣva |
Bhagavān Viṣṇu bersabda: “Wahai Brahmana, wahai dwija, engkau mesti menerima suatu anugerah daripadaku.” Lalu baginda bersabda lagi: “Wahai permata mahkota orang berbudi! Aku amat berkenan kepadamu kerana bebas daripada loba dan kerana bhakti-mu yang unggul. Maka, wahai Brahmana, mintalah suatu anugerah daripadaku dengan pasti.”
उत्तड्ुक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that freedom from greed (lobha-śūnyatā) and sincere devotion (bhakti) are ethically elevating qualities that attract divine favor; grace is portrayed as responding to inner virtue rather than worldly power.
In the Uttanka episode of the Vana Parva, a boon is being offered: Uttanka urges that a boon must be accepted, and Viṣṇu—pleased by Uttanka’s non-greed and devotion—invites him to choose a desired boon.