Shloka 31
अग्निर्वाच बृहस्पते न पश्यामि देवराजमिह क्वचित् । आप: शेषता: सदा चाप: प्रवेष्टं नोत्सहाम्पयहम्,अग्निदेव बोले--बृहस्पते! मैं देवराजको तो इस संसारमें कहीं नहीं देख रहा हूँ, केवल जल शेष रह गया है, जहाँ उनकी खोज नहीं की है। परंतु मैं कभी भी जलनमें प्रवेश करनेका साहस नहीं कर सकता
agnir uvāca bṛhaspate na paśyāmi devarājam iha kvacit | āpaḥ śeṣatāḥ sadā cāpaḥ praveṣṭuṃ notsahāmy aham ||
Agni said, “O Bṛhaspati, I do not see the king of the gods anywhere here. Only the waters remain—those are the only place left unsearched. Yet I do not have the courage to enter the waters.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even powerful beings have inherent limits tied to their nature; discernment includes recognizing where one’s capacity ends, rather than forcing an action that contradicts one’s essential constitution.
Agni reports to Bṛhaspati that Indra cannot be found anywhere; only the waters remain as the unsearched refuge, but Agni hesitates because entering water is contrary to Agni’s nature and power.