Shloka 21
महादेवजीके पेटमें घुसकर प्रभावशाली महामना भृगुनन्दन उशना उसके भीतर सब ओर विचरने लगे ।। युधिछिर उवाच किमर्थ व्यचरद् राजन्नुशना तस्य धीमत: । जठरे देवदेवस्य कि चाकार्षीन्महाद्युति:,युधिछ्िरने पूछा--राजन्! महातेजस्वी उशनाने बुद्धिमान् देवाधिदेव महादेवजीके उदरमें किसलिये विचरण किया और वहाँ क्या किया?
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | kimarthaṃ vyacarad rājann uśanā tasya dhīmataḥ | jaṭhare devadevasya kiṃ cākārṣīn mahādyutiḥ ||
युधिष्ठिर उवाच—राजन्, किमर्थं महाद्युतिर्धीमान् उशना देवदेवस्य महादेवस्य जठरे व्यचरद्? तत्र च किं चकार स महातेजाः?
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse models dhārmic inquiry: even revered figures and wondrous events should be approached through respectful questioning to understand purpose (artha) and action (karma), especially when divine power and sage-like brilliance intersect.
Yudhiṣṭhira asks the kingly narrator (commonly Bhīṣma in Śānti Parva) why the radiant sage Uśanā/Śukra entered and wandered within Mahādeva’s belly and what he accomplished there, setting up an explanation of a miraculous episode involving Śiva and the sage.