Shloka 18
श्रुत्वा तु तद् वचस्तेषामग्निमाहूय विश्वकृत्,देवताओं तथा ऋषियोंकी बात सुनकर विश्वविधाता ब्रह्माजीने प्राणियोंको उत्पन्न करनेवाले अविनाशी अग्निको बुलाकर मधुर वाणीमें कहा--'हुताशन! यहाँ समस्त लोकोंके स्रष्टा और संहारक तुम्हीं हो, तुम्हीं तीनों लोकोंको धारण करनेवाले हो, सम्पूर्ण क्रियाओंके प्रवर्तक भी तुम्हीं हो। अतः लोकेश्वर! तुम ऐसा करो जिससे अग्निहोत्र आदि क्रियाओंका लोप न हो। तुम सबके स्वामी होकर भी इस प्रकार मूढ़ (मोहग्रस्त) कैसे हो गये? तुम संसारमें सदा पवित्र हो, समस्त प्राणियोंकी गति भी तुम्हीं हो
śrutvā tu tad vacas teṣām agnim āhūya viśvakṛt | hutaśana! iha samasta-lokānāṁ sraṣṭā saṁhārakaś ca tvam eva, tvam eva trīṇi lokān dhārayasi, sarva-kriyāṇāṁ pravartakaś ca tvam | ataḥ lokeśvara! tvaṁ tathā kuru yena agnihotrādi-kriyāṇāṁ lopo na bhavet | tvaṁ sarvasya svāmī san api katham evaṁ mūḍho (mohagrastaḥ) abhavaḥ? tvaṁ loke sadā pavitraḥ, sarva-prāṇināṁ gatiś ca tvam eva |
Having heard the words of the gods and the seers, the Creator of the universe summoned Agni, the imperishable producer of creatures, and spoke to him in gentle speech: “O Hutaśana, here you alone are the maker and destroyer of all the worlds; you uphold the three worlds and set all rites and actions in motion. Therefore, O Lord of the world, act in such a way that the sacrificial rites—beginning with the Agnihotra—do not fall into ruin. Though you are the master of all, how have you become thus deluded? In the world you are ever pure, and you are the very refuge and final course of all living beings.”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Cosmic order (dharma) is sustained through rightly performed rites and responsibilities. Even a powerful agent like Agni must act without delusion so that essential sacrificial duties (e.g., Agnihotra) do not lapse, preserving the moral and ritual fabric of the worlds.
After hearing the concerns of the gods and seers, Brahmā calls Agni and admonishes him: Agni is central to sustaining the three worlds and to enabling ritual action, so he must ensure that sacrificial practices do not disappear and must abandon any bewilderment that has led to neglect.