Shloka 10
Puruṣaikatva-vyākhyāna: The One Virāṭ Puruṣa and the Many ‘Puruṣas’
Rudra–Brahmā Saṃvāda
भो राजन् केन यष्टव्यमजेनाहोस्विदौषधै:
bho rājan kena yaṣṭavyam ajenāho svid auṣadhaiḥ
பீஷ்மர் கூறினார்—“அரசே! யாகம் எதனால் செய்ய வேண்டும்—ஆட்டினாலா, அல்லது மூலிகை-தாவரங்களாலா?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical-ritual dilemma: whether a sacrifice should involve animal offering (goat) or be performed with non-violent substitutes (herbs). It points toward reflective discernment in dharma—how ritual action should align with moral considerations.
Bhīṣma addresses the king and poses a pointed question about the proper mode of sacrifice, contrasting an animal offering with an offering of herbs. The line functions as a prompt within a broader discussion on righteous conduct and the legitimacy or alternatives of sacrificial practice.