Adhyāya 270 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on saṃnyāsa; Bhīṣma on calculable time, tamas, and karma
Vṛtra–Uśanā exemplum begins
मणिभद्रं स तत्रस्थं देवतानां महाद्युतिम् । अपश्यत महात्मानं व्यादिशन्तं युधिष्ठिर
maṇibhadraṁ sa tatrasthaṁ devatānāṁ mahādyutim | apaśyata mahātmānaṁ vyādiśantaṁ yudhiṣṭhira ||
ହେ ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର! ସେଠାରେ ସେ ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ମହାଦ୍ୟୁତିମାନ ମହାତ୍ମା ଯକ୍ଷରାଜ ମଣିଭଦ୍ରଙ୍କୁ ଆସୀନ ଦେଖିଲେ; ସେ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଯାଚକମାନଙ୍କୁ କ୍ରମବଦ୍ଧ ଭାବେ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶ ଦେଇ ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ଉପସ୍ଥାପିତ କରୁଥିଲେ।
भीष्म उवाच
The verse highlights the idea of ordered governance even in divine realms: requests and rewards are not random but are administered through discernment and authority. Ethically, it implies that outcomes are regulated by a moral-cosmic system where merit, propriety, and right procedure matter.
A figure (as described by Bhīṣma) sees the Yakṣa-lord Maṇibhadra present among the gods, actively directing or assigning various petitioners—organizing who is to be presented and how their requests are to be handled before the divine assembly.