Puruṣaikatva-vyākhyāna: The One Virāṭ Puruṣa and the Many ‘Puruṣas’
Rudra–Brahmā Saṃvāda
भीष्म उवाच देवानां तु मतं ज्ञात्वा वसुना पक्षसंश्रयात्
bhīṣma uvāca devānāṁ tu mataṁ jñātvā vasunā pakṣasaṁśrayāt
毗湿摩说道:既已洞悉诸天的意旨,又投身于婆苏一方(与婆苏之党同列),他便依那神圣的决断而行——昭示出:当结盟之选受更高的劝诫所引导时,便会塑造义务与法(Dharma)的走向。
भीष्म उवाच
The verse highlights that discerning higher counsel (the gods’ intention) and then choosing one’s alignment accordingly can be a decisive ethical act; ‘taking a side’ is not merely political but can be framed as a dharmic commitment shaped by insight into a larger moral order.
Bhishma, continuing his instruction in the Shanti Parva, refers to someone who first understands the resolve of the gods and then aligns with Vasu’s side—indicating a deliberate choice of faction based on perceived divine intention.