Shloka 18

Devanagari script

इदं वै सझ तिग्मांशो वरुणस्य परायणम्‌ | शिवस्त्राता भवास्माकं मास्मानद्य विनाशय,प्रचण्ड किरणोंवाले अग्निदेव! हमारा यह शरीररूप घर रसनेन्द्रियाधिपति वरुणदेवका आलम्बन है। आप आज शीतल एवं कल्याणमय बनकर हमारे रक्षक होइये; हमें नष्ट न कीजिये

Transliteration

idaṃ vai saṃjña tigmāṃśo varuṇasya parāyaṇam | śivastrātā bhavāsmākaṃ māsmān adya vināśaya ||

Translation

Stambhamitra sprach: „O scharfstrahliger (Agni)! Diese leibliche Wohnung von uns steht unter dem Schutz Varuṇas, des Herrn der Wasser und der zügelnden Macht. Werde heute kühl und heilvoll, sei unser rettender Hüter; vernichte uns nicht.“

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'idaṃ', 'definition': 'this'}, {'term': 'vai', 'definition': 'indeed, surely (emphatic particle)'}, {'term': 'saṃjña', 'definition': 'O named one / O you who are known (vocative

• an address)'}, {'term': 'tigmāṃśo', 'definition': 'O sharp-rayed one

• epithet of Agni/Sūrya (here addressed to Agni)'}, {'term': 'varuṇasya', 'definition': 'of Varuṇa'}, {'term': 'parāyaṇam', 'definition': 'refuge, final resort, protective support'}, {'term': 'śiva', 'definition': 'auspicious, benevolent, cooling/peaceful (contextual sense)'}, {'term': 'trātā', 'definition': 'protector, savior'}, {'term': 'bhava', 'definition': 'be (imperative)'}, {'term': 'asmākam', 'definition': 'of us, our'}, {'term': 'mā', 'definition': 'do not (prohibitive particle)'}, {'term': 'asmān', 'definition': 'us (accusative plural)'}, {'term': 'adya', 'definition': 'today, now'}, {'term': 'vināśaya', 'definition': 'destroy (imperative)

Speaker

स्तम्बमित्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• स्तम्बमित्र (Stambhamitra)
• अग्नि (Agni)
• वरुण (Varuṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical restraint and protection as divine qualities: even a fierce power like Agni is entreated to become śiva (benevolent) and to spare life, while acknowledging Varuṇa as a principle of order and restraint that safeguards beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Stambhamitra addresses Agni, praising his blazing rays yet pleading that he turn cool and auspicious, act as a protector, and not destroy them—invoking Varuṇa as their refuge and stabilizing support.