Shloka 33

अग्निभय-प्रसङ्गे मन्दपालस्य शोकः

Mandapāla’s Lament amid the Threat of Fire

Devanagari script

सर्वतः परिवार्यवं दावमेतं महाप्रभो । काम सम्प्रज्वलाद्यैव कल्यौ स्व: साह्मुकर्मणि,महाप्रभो! अब आप इस सम्पूर्ण वनको चारों ओरसे घेरकर आज ही इच्छानुसार जलाइये। हम आपकी सहायताके लिये तैयार हैं

Transliteration

sarvataḥ parivārya vanaṃ dāvam etaṃ mahāprabho | kāmaṃ saṃprajvalādyaiva kalyau svaḥ sāhmukarmaṇi ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “O mighty lord, having surrounded this forest-fire from all sides, burn this woodland today itself as you wish. We stand ready to assist you in the work.”

Word by Word

• सर्वतः: on all sides, everywhere
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• परिवार्य: having surrounded, encircling
• परिवार्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√वृ (वृणोति/वर्तते) → परिवार्य
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage as indeclinable gerund)

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• दावम्: forest-fire, conflagration
• दावम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाव
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• एतम्: this
• एतम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• महाप्रभो: O great lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्रभु
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• कामम्: as you wish, at will (lit. desire)
• कामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• सम्प्रज्वल: ignite, set ablaze
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-√ज्वल्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2nd, singular, parasmaipada

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• कल्यौ: quickly/at once (reading uncertain)
• कल्यौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कल्य (or कल्यः/कल्यौ as dual form used adverbially)

• स्वः: tomorrow (or heaven; here likely temporal, reading uncertain)
• स्वः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वः

• साह्मुकर्मणि: in the act of assistance/help (reading uncertain)
• साह्मुकर्मणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: साह्मु-कर्मन्
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• forest (vana)
• forest-fire (dāva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights readiness to support a powerful ally in a chosen task, emphasizing resolve and coordinated action; ethically, it invites reflection on responsibility when assisting actions that involve large-scale destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna addresses a mighty figure (mahāprabhu), urging him to encircle the forest-fire and burn the forest as desired, while declaring that he and his companion(s) are prepared to help in carrying out the act.