Shloka 20
धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)
निमित्तमात्रं तावत्र सर्वप्राणिवरप्रदौ । कपर्दी जटिलो मुण्ड: श्मशानगृहसेवक:
nimittamātraṃ tāvatra sarvaprāṇivarapradau | kapardī jaṭilo muṇḍaḥ śmaśānagṛhasevakaḥ |
阿周那说：“在此事上，那两位神祇——赐福于一切众生者——不过是创造与毁灭的工具之因。其中，行毁灭之鲁陀罗又有众多称号：卡帕尔迪（结发者）、阇提罗（乱发苦行者）、蒙达（剃首者）、常住火葬场者、持猛厉誓戒者、瑜伽行者、极其可怖者、摧毁达刹祭祀者、夺去婆伽之眼者——这表明宇宙诸事皆依至上意志而展开，而纵然伟大神明亦在其秩序中充当器具。”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even powerful deities who preside over creation and destruction can be understood as ‘nimitta-mātra’—instrumental agents—within a higher, overarching will and cosmic order; this frames divine power in terms of delegated function rather than ultimate autonomy.
Arjuna is describing the role and names of Rudra (Śiva), emphasizing Rudra’s fearsome ascetic attributes and mythic deeds (like destroying Dakṣa’s sacrifice and taking Bhaga’s eye) while asserting that such cosmic acts occur as part of a larger divine governance.