Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 9

दानशील-समाचारः, सत्कारः, अहिंसा च

Umā–Maheśvara Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

अग्निकार्य ऋयहं कुर्यान्निराहार: समाहित: । ततः संवत्सरे पूर्णे प्रतिगृह्लन्ति देवता:

Transliteration

agnikāryam ṛjvahaṁ kuryān nirāhāraḥ samāhitaḥ | tataḥ saṁvatsare pūrṇe pratigṛhlanti devatāḥ ||

Translation

Dhaugya said: “Let him perform the sacred fire-rite with unwavering straightforwardness, fasting and with a collected mind. Then, when a full year has been completed, the deities accept (the offering and the vow).”

Word by Word

• अग्निकार्यम्: fire-ritual (agni-duty)
• अग्निकार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ऋषिअहम्: me, the sage (as object/identifier)
• ऋषिअहम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: ऋषि-अहम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्यात्: should do / would perform
• कुर्यात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• निराहारः: fasting / without food
• निराहारः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराहार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समाहितः: collected, concentrated
• समाहितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• संवत्सरे: in a year
• संवत्सरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पूर्णे: when completed
• पूर्णे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रतिगृह्णन्ति: accept / receive
• प्रतिगृह्णन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ग्रह्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• देवताः: the deities
• देवताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

धौग्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• धौग्य (Dhaugya)
• देवता (the deities)
• अग्नि/अग्निकार्य (sacred fire-rite)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual efficacy is tied to inner discipline: straightforward intent (ṛju-bhāva), fasting, and mental concentration sustained over time. The verse emphasizes that divine acceptance follows completed, steady observance rather than mere outward performance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhaugya is prescribing a disciplined observance: performing the fire-rite while fasting and remaining mentally composed, continuing until a full year is completed; at that completion, the deities are said to accept the rite/vow.