Shloka 24
Marutta’s Sacrifice and Agni’s Embassy (मरुत्त-यज्ञे दूतत्वम्)
इन्द्र रवाच पुनर्गत्वा पार्थिवं त्वं समेत्य वाक्यं मदीयं प्रापय स्वार्थयुक्तम् । पुनर्यद् युक्तो न करिष्यते वच- स्त्वत्तो वज्ज सम्प्रहर्तास्मि तस्मै,इन्द्रने कहा--अग्निदेव! एक बार फिर जाकर राजा मरुत्तसे मिलो और मेरा अर्थयुक्त संदेश उनके पास पहुँचा दो। यदि तुम्हारे द्वारा दुबारा कहनेपर भी मेरी बात नहीं मानेंगे तो मैं उनके ऊपर वज्रका प्रहार करूँगा
indra uvāca punar gatvā pārthivaṁ tvaṁ sametya vākyaṁ madīyaṁ prāpaya svārtha-yuktam | punar yad yukto na kariṣyate vacas tvatto vajraṁ samprahartāsmi tasmai ||
Indra said: “Go once more, meet the king, and deliver to him my message, which is charged with its intended purpose. If, even after you repeat it, he does not act in accordance with my words, then I shall strike him with the thunderbolt.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Authority and responsibility are paired with accountability: a ruler is expected to heed purposeful counsel, and refusal to follow rightful instruction invites consequences. The verse frames ethical governance as responsiveness to legitimate warning, not mere assertion of power.
Indra instructs Agni to return to King Marutta and deliver Indra’s message again. Indra adds an ultimatum: if Marutta still refuses to comply after this renewed communication, Indra will punish him by striking with the vajra.