Shloka 331
Atithi-prāpti and the Brāhmaṇa’s Deliberation on Triadic Dharma (अतिथिप्राप्तिः धर्मत्रयविचारश्च)
योअसौ व्यक्तत्वमापन्नो निर्ममे च पितामहम् । सो<हंकार इति प्रोक्त: सर्वतेजोमयों हि सः
yo 'sau vyaktatvam āpanno nirmame ca pitāmaham | so 'haṅkāra iti proktaḥ sarva-tejomayo hi saḥ ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच—योऽसौ व्यक्तत्वमापन्नो निर्ममे च पितामहम् । सोऽहंकार इति प्रोक्तः सर्वतेजोमयो हि सः ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse identifies ahaṅkāra (the ‘I’-sense) as a cosmic principle that, upon becoming manifest, functions as a creative source—so potent that it is said to generate Brahmā. It emphasizes ahaṅkāra’s comprehensive energetic nature (sarva-tejomaya), framing ego not merely as personal pride but as a fundamental ontological category in creation-theory.
Vaiśampāyana is continuing a philosophical exposition in Śānti Parva, describing stages/principles of manifestation in the universe. In this step, he explains that the manifesting principle called ahaṅkāra is responsible for producing the ‘Grandfather’ (Brahmā), situating Brahmā’s emergence within a broader metaphysical sequence.