Mahabharata 9.40.283 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 40, Shloka 283
Baka Dālbhya at Avakīrṇa-tīrtha: Rāṣṭra-kṣaya and Release through Prasāda (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 40)
तथेति चाब्रवीद् ब्रह्मा सर्वतोकपितामह: । राजन! तब उन्होंने यह वर माँगा कि "मैं ब्राह्मण हो जाऊँ।” सम्पूर्ण लोकोंके पितामह ब्रह्माजीने उन्हें “तथास्तु कहकर वह वर दे दिया
tatheti cābravīd brahmā sarvalokapitāmahaḥ | rājan! tadā te varam ayācuḥ—“ahaṃ brāhmaṇo bhaveyam” iti | samastalokānāṃ pitāmaho brahmā “tathāstu” iti uktvā taṃ varaṃ dadau |
ਵੈਸ਼ੰਪਾਯਨ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਸਭ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਪਿਤਾਮਹ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ, “ਤਥਾਸਤੁ।” ਹੇ ਰਾਜਨ, ਤਦ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਵਰ ਮੰਗਿਆ—“ਮੈਂ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਹੋ ਜਾਵਾਂ।” ਪਿਤਾਮਹ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਨੇ “ਤਥਾਸਤੁ” ਕਹਿ ਕੇ ਉਹ ਵਰ ਦੇ ਦਿੱਤਾ।
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the moral weight of intention and aspiration: a boon granted by a cosmic authority can transform one’s social-religious identity, implying that status is tied to sanctioned purpose and dharmic orientation rather than mere birth alone in this narrative context.
Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates to the king that a petitioner asks Brahmā for the boon of becoming a brāhmaṇa, and Brahmā grants it with the traditional assent, “tathāstu,” thereby effecting the requested transformation.
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