Shloka 12

Śārṅgaka-stuti to Agni during the Khāṇḍava Conflagration (शार्ङ्गक-स्तुतिः / अग्नि-स्तुतिः)

Devanagari script

एतच्छुत्वा तु वचन त्वरितो हव्यवाहनः । कृष्णपार्थावुपागम्य यमर्थ त्वभ्यभाषत

Transliteration

etac chrutvā tu vacanaṃ tvarito havyavāhanaḥ | kṛṣṇapārthāv upāgamya yam arthaṃ tv abhyabhāṣata ||

Translation

Als Havyavāhana (Agni) diese Worte hörte, eilte er sogleich herbei. Er trat zu Kṛṣṇa und Pārtha (Arjuna) und nannte den Zweck, der ihn geführt hatte.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (thing)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• तु: but/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• त्वरितः: hastened/quick
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हव्यवाहनः: Agni (carrier of oblations)
• हव्यवाहनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्यवाहन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृष्णपार्थौ: Krishna and Partha (Arjuna)
• कृष्णपार्थौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण + पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• उपागम्य: having approached
• उपागम्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + गम् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Non-finite

• यम्: which/whom
• यम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अर्थम्: purpose/matter
• अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तु: indeed/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अभ्यभाषत: spoke/addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + भाष् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• हव्यवाहन / अग्नि (Havyavāhana/Agni)
• कृष्ण (Kṛṣṇa)
• पार्थ / अर्जुन (Pārtha/Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how urgent requests—especially from powerful sources—can place one amid competing claims of authority. It sets up a dharmic dilemma: assisting Agni may serve a cosmic purpose, yet it can oppose another deity’s intention, requiring discernment about duty, consequences, and rightful alignment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Agni (Havyavāhana), after hearing certain words, quickly approaches Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna and states the purpose of his visit—foreshadowing Agni’s request connected with the burning of the Khāṇḍava forest.