Shloka 33
Jarītā–Śārṅgā-saṃvāda: Ākhu-haraṇa and the Approach of Agni (आखुहरणं अग्न्यागमनश्च)
ततस्ते याजकाः क्रुद्धास्तमूचुर्नूपसत्तमम् । तव कमण्यजसंर वै वर्तन्ते पार्थिवोत्तम,इतना कहकर राजा चुप हो गये। परंतप जनमेजय! जब वे ऋत्विज राजाका यज्ञ करानेके लिये उद्यत न हो सके, तब वे रुष्ट होकर उन नृपश्रेष्ठसे बोले--“भूपालशिरोमणे! आपके यज्ञकर्म तो निरन्तर चलते रहते हैं
tatas te yājakāḥ kruddhās tam ūcur nṛpasattamam | tava karmaṇy ajasaṃr vai vartante pārthivottama ||
Then those officiating priests, angered, addressed that best of kings: “O foremost among rulers, your sacrificial rites continue without interruption.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even meritorious religious activity (yajña) must be aligned with dharma in practice: it requires consent, capacity, and proper cooperation between king and priests. Unchecked insistence on continual rites can strain social and ritual order, revealing that ethical governance includes restraint and responsiveness to those who serve the ritual.
Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates to King Janamejaya that the officiating priests, unable or unwilling to proceed and now angered, confront the king. They point out that his sacrificial performances are ongoing without pause, implying an excessive or burdensome continuation that has led to conflict.