Shloka 18
Śiva Grants the Pāśupata Astra (Pāśupata-Śastra Upadeśa) | शिवेन पाशुपतास्त्रदानम्
पूर्वर्षिरमितात्मा त्वं नरो नाम महाबल: । नियोगाद् ब्रह्मणस्तात मर्त्यतां समुपागत:,अर्जुन! हम सब लोकपाल यहाँ आये हुए हैं। तुम हमें देखो। हम तुम्हें दिव्य दृष्टि देते हैं। तुम हमारे दर्शनके अधिकारी हो। तुम महामना एवं महाबली पुरातन महर्षि नर हो। तात! ब्रह्माजीकी आज्ञासे तुमने मानव-शरीर ग्रहण किया है
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
pūrvarṣir amitātmā tvaṃ naro nāma mahābalaḥ |
niyogād brahmaṇas tāta martyatāṃ samupāgataḥ ||
arjuna! vayaṃ sarve lokapālā iha āgatāḥ | tvaṃ asmān paśya | vayaṃ tubhyaṃ divya-dṛṣṭiṃ dadmaḥ | tvaṃ asmākaṃ darśanasya adhikārī asi | tvaṃ mahāmanā evaṃ mahābalī purātana-maharṣiḥ naraḥ | tāta! brahmaṇo 'jñayā tvayā mānava-śarīraṃ gṛhītam |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Engkau ialah resi purba, berjiwa tanpa batas—bernama Nara, perkasa kekuatannya. Wahai anak, atas penugasan Brahmā engkau telah memasuki keadaan fana sebagai manusia. Arjuna, kami semua, para Lokapāla—penjaga alam—telah datang ke sini. Lihatlah kami. Kami mengurniakan kepadamu penglihatan ilahi; engkau layak menerima darśana kami. Engkau ialah Nara, resi asal yang berjiwa besar dan berkuasa besar. Dengan titah Brahmā engkau telah menyarung jasad manusia.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames Arjuna not merely as a warrior but as the primordial sage Nara who has taken on human mortality by Brahmā’s command. It emphasizes adhikāra (spiritual qualification): divine vision is granted when one is fit, and worldly identity can be a chosen role within a larger cosmic purpose.
The guardians of the worlds arrive and reveal themselves to Arjuna, granting him divine sight so he can behold them. They address him as the ancient sage Nara, explaining that he has assumed a human body due to Brahmā’s commission.