Shloka 54
अपूजयं च मनसा रौक्मिणेय सदा द्विजान् | रुक्मिणीनन्दन! वे सारी वस्तुएँ नूतन और सुदृढ़ रूपमें उपलब्ध हैं, यह देखकर मुझे बड़ा आश्चर्य हुआ और मैंने मन-ही-मन द्विजोंकी सदा ही पूजा की ।।
apūjayaṃ ca manasā raukmiṇeya sadā dvijān | rukmiṇīnandana! ye sarvā vastūni nūtana-sudṛḍha-rūpeṇa upalabdhāni, iti dṛṣṭvā mama mahad āścaryaṃ jātaṃ, mayā ca mana eva dvijān sadā pūjitāḥ || ity ahaṃ raukmiṇeyasya pṛcchato bharatarṣabha ||
Vāyu disse: “E, ó filho de Rukmiṇī, eu reverenciava continuamente os brâmanes em meu coração. Ao ver que todas as coisas estavam disponíveis como se tivessem sido recém-feitas, firmes e intactas, fui tomado de grande assombro e, interiormente, ofereci constante homenagem aos ‘duas-vezes-nascidos’. Assim falei, ó touro entre os Bhāratas, quando Raukmiṇeya me interrogou.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights inward reverence (manasā pūjā) toward the dvijas/Brahmins as a dharmic attitude: gratitude and respect are not merely external rituals but can be sincerely maintained in the mind, especially upon witnessing order, abundance, and well-maintained provisions.
Vāyu addresses Kṛṣṇa (Raukmiṇeya, son of Rukmiṇī), describing his astonishment at finding all items available in a fresh and sturdy condition; moved by this auspicious sight, he honors the Brahmins mentally. The closing line frames this as part of Vāyu’s reply while being questioned, addressed to “Bharatarṣabha.”