Shloka 74

Adhyaya 32: Saṃjaya’s Return, Audience with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Ethical Admonition

Devanagari script

पञ्चाग्नयो मनुष्येण परिचर्या: प्रयत्नत: । पिता माताग्निरात्मा च गुरुश्न भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ) पिता, माता, अग्नि, आत्मा और गुरु-मनुष्यको इन पाँच अग्नियोंकी बड़े यत्नसे सेवा करनी चाहिये

Transliteration

pañcāgnayo manuṣyeṇa paricaryāḥ prayatnataḥ | pitā mātāgnir ātmā ca guruś ca bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

Vidura lehrt, dass der Mensch mit allem Eifer fünf „heilige Feuer“ zu dienen habe: dem Vater, der Mutter, dem Hausfeuer, dem eigenen Selbst und dem Lehrer. Wer sie als lebendige Altäre der Pflicht ehrt, erhält die Rechtschaffenheit im Familienleben und im persönlichen Wandel.

Word by Word

पञ्चfive

अग्नयःfires (as sacred fires)

मनुष्येणby a man / by a human

परिचर्याःto be served / should be attended upon

प्रयत्नतःwith effort, diligently

पिताfather

माताmother

अग्निःfire

आत्माself

चand

गुरुःteacher, preceptor

भरतर्षभO bull among the Bharatas

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

Bharatarṣabha (address to Dhṛtarāṣṭra / Bharata-line elder)

Father

Mother

Agni (domestic fire)

Ātman (self)

Guru (teacher)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That essential duties are to be treated as sacred: serving father, mother, the domestic fire (ritual and household responsibility), one’s own self (health and moral integrity), and one’s teacher. These sustain dharma in personal and social life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vidura’s counsel (nīti) during the Udyoga Parva, he instructs the Bharata elder on righteous conduct, emphasizing foundational obligations that uphold order and virtue amid the looming conflict.