Shloka 23
Adhyāya 352: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Saṃvāda — Uñchavrata-niścaya
Dialogue and the Resolve to Practice Uñchavrata
रुद्र ववाच बहव: पुरुषा ब्रह्मांस्त्वया सृष्टा: स्वयम्भुवा । सृज्यन्ते चापरे ब्रह्मनू स चैक: पुरुषो विराट्,रुद्र बोले--ब्रह्मन्! आप स्वयम्भू हैं। आपने बहुत-से पुरुषोंकी सृष्टि की है और अभी दूसरे-दूसरे पुरुषोंकी सृष्टि करते जा रहे हैं। वह विराट् भी तो एक पुरुष ही है, फिर उसमें क्या विशेषता है?
rudra uvāca—bahavaḥ puruṣā brahman tvayā sṛṣṭāḥ svayambhuvā | sṛjyante cāpare brahman sa caikaḥ puruṣo virāṭ |
ରୁଦ୍ର କହିଲେ—ହେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମନ୍! ଆପଣ ସ୍ୱୟମ୍ଭୂ। ଆପଣ ଅନେକ ପୁରୁଷଙ୍କୁ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିଛନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଏବେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅନ୍ୟ ଅନ୍ୟ ପୁରୁଷଙ୍କୁ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରୁଛନ୍ତି। ସେ ବିରାଟ୍ ମଧ୍ୟ ତ ଏକ ପୁରୁଷ ହିଁ; ତେବେ ତାହାର ବିଶେଷତା କ’ଣ?
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a philosophical inquiry: if many puruṣas are created, what makes Virāṭ unique? It pushes the discussion toward distinguishing the ordinary individual beings from the cosmic, all-encompassing principle (Virāṭ) that functions as the universal aggregate or manifest totality.
Within Bhīṣma’s discourse, a prior dialogue is recalled in which Rudra addresses Brahmā. Rudra challenges Brahmā’s account of creation by asking why the single being called Virāṭ should be considered special when he appears to be just another puruṣa among many.