Shloka 31

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं स्तुतस्तदा तेन मन्दपालेन पावक:

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca—evaṁ stutas tadā tena Mandapālena Pāvakaḥ; prasannaḥ sa mahātejā ṛṣim abhyabhāṣata—“kiṁ te ’bhīṣṭaṁ karavāṇi?”

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Thus praised at that time by the sage Mandapāla, Pāvaka (Agni), radiant with immeasurable splendor, was greatly pleased. With a delighted heart he addressed the seer: “What desired purpose of yours shall I accomplish?”

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• स्तुतः: praised
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मन्दपालेन: by Mandapāla
• मन्दपालेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दपाल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पावकः: Fire (Agni)
• पावकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mandapāla
• Pāvaka (Agni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sincere praise and disciplined speech (stuti) can invite divine favor, but the implied ethical boundary is that the boon should be sought for a rightful purpose (dharma-aligned intent), not mere self-indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Mandapāla praises Agni (Pāvaka), Agni becomes pleased and offers to fulfill Mandapāla’s desired objective, asking what he wishes to be accomplished.