Shloka 2

अग्निवंशवर्णनम् (Agni-vaṃśa-varṇana) / The Genealogy and Function of Agni

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण उवाच महाभूतानि यान्याहुः पठ्च धर्मभूतां वर । एकैकस्य गुणान्‌ सम्यक्‌ पञ्चानामपि मे वद,ब्राह्मण बोला--धर्मात्माओंमें श्रेष्ठ व्याध! जो पाँच महाभूत कहे जाते हैं, उन पाँचोंमेंसे प्रत्येकके गुणोंका मुझसे भलीभाँति वर्णन करो

Transliteration

brāhmaṇa uvāca | mahābhūtāni yāny āhuḥ pañca dharmabhūtāṃ vara | ekaikasya guṇān samyak pañcānām api me vada ||

Translation

Der Brahmane sprach: «O Bester unter den Rechtschaffenen, sage mir klar die Eigenschaften jedes der fünf großen Elemente (mahābhūtas), von denen man spricht. Erkläre mir der rechten Ordnung nach die besonderen Merkmale aller fünf.»

Word by Word

ब्राह्मणःthe Brahmin

उवाचsaid

महाभूतानिthe great elements

यानिwhich

आहुःthey call / they say

पञ्चfive

धर्मभूतानाम्of those whose nature is dharma / of the righteous

वरO best (one)

एकैकस्यof each one (individually)

गुणान्qualities

सम्यक्properly, correctly

पञ्चानाम्of the five

अपिalso, even

मेto me / for me

वदtell (you)

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Brāhmaṇa (the Brahmin speaker)

Vyādha (the hunter, addressed as dharmabhūtām vara)

Mahābhūtas (the five great elements)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames dharmic inquiry: true understanding requires a clear account of the distinct guṇas (defining properties) of the five mahābhūtas, linking ethical life with right knowledge of reality.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin addresses the hunter renowned for dharma and requests a systematic explanation of the five great elements and the specific qualities of each, setting up a didactic discussion.