Shloka 2

Marutta’s Sacrifice and Agni’s Embassy (मरुत्त-यज्ञे दूतत्वम्)

Devanagari script

ब॒हस्पतिरु्वाच सुखं शये शयने देवराज तथा मनोज्ञा: परिचारका मे । तथा देवानां सुखकामो<स्मि नित्यं देवाश्न मां सुभृशं॑ पालयन्ति

Transliteration

bṛhaspatir uvāca | sukhaṃ śaye śayane devarāja tathā manojñāḥ paricārakā me | tathā devānāṃ sukhakāmo 'smi nityaṃ devāś ca māṃ subhṛśaṃ pālayanti ||

Translation

Bṛhaspati sprach: „O König der Götter, ich schlafe in Behagen auf meinem Lager, und Diener, die meinem Sinn gefallen, stehen mir zu Diensten. Stets bin ich auf das Wohl und Glück der Götter bedacht, und die Götter wiederum schützen und erhalten mich mit großer Sorgfalt.“

Word by Word

• {'bṛhaspatiḥ': 'Bṛhaspati

• preceptor of the gods', 'uvāca': 'said, spoke', 'sukham': 'comfortably, happily', 'śaye': 'I lie down

• I sleep', 'śayane': 'on the bed/couch

• in the resting-place', 'devarāja': 'O king of the gods (Indra)', 'tathā': 'and also

• likewise', 'manojñāḥ': 'pleasing, agreeable (to the mind)', 'paricārakāḥ': 'attendants, servants', 'me': 'my', 'devānām': 'of the gods', 'sukhakāmaḥ': 'one who desires the happiness/welfare (of others)', 'asmi': 'I am', 'nityam': 'always, continually', 'devāḥ ca': 'and the gods', 'mām': 'me', 'subhṛśam': 'greatly, exceedingly, very well', 'pālayanti': 'protect, maintain, look after'}

Speaker

संवर्त उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati
• Devarāja (Indra)
• Devas (the gods)
• Śayana (bed/couch)
• Paricārakas (attendants)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights reciprocal duty: one who consistently seeks the welfare of others (here, Bṛhaspati for the gods) is, in turn, supported and protected by them. Ethical well-being and social stability arise from mutual care between guide and ruler, benefactor and beneficiary.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhaspati addresses Devarāja (Indra), describing his own secure and comfortable condition—resting peacefully with agreeable attendants—because he is continually devoted to the gods’ welfare, and the gods therefore maintain and protect him diligently.