Shloka 81

Jarītā–Śārṅgā-saṃvāda: Ākhu-haraṇa and the Approach of Agni (आखुहरणं अग्न्यागमनश्च)

Devanagari script

बहुशीर्षास्ततो नागा: शिरोभिर्जलसंततिम्‌ । मुमुचु: पावकाभ्याशे सत्वरा: क्रोधमूर्च्छिता:,अनेक सिरवाले नाग भी क्रोधसे मूर्च्छित हो अपने मस्तकोंद्वारा अग्निके समीप शीघ्रतापूर्वक जलकी धारा बरसाने लगे

Transliteration

bahuśīrṣās tato nāgāḥ śirobhir jalasantatim | mumucuḥ pāvakābhyāśe satvarāḥ krodhamūrcchitāḥ ||

Translation

Then the many-headed serpents, maddened by anger, swiftly poured continuous streams of water from their hoods close to the fire—an urgent, wrath-driven attempt to counter the blaze and protect their own.

Word by Word

बहुशीर्षाःmany-headed

ततःthen, thereafter

नागाःserpents (Nāgas)

शिरोभिःwith (their) heads

जलसंततिम्a continuous stream of water

मुमुचुःthey released, let loose

पावकाभ्याशेnear the fire

सत्वराःswift, in haste

क्रोधमूर्च्छिताःfaint/overcome with anger

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Nāgāḥ (serpents)

Pāvaka/Agni (fire)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can overwhelm discernment and drive frantic action; even when responding to danger, being 'krodhamūrcchita' suggests a loss of clarity, implying the ethical value of self-control amid crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Many-headed Nāgas, enraged and agitated, rush to counter a nearby fire by releasing continuous streams of water from their hoods, attempting to suppress the flames.