Shloka 11
Draupadī’s Instruction on Marital Conduct and Household Discipline (चित्तग्रहण-उपदेश)
इस प्रकार अथर्वाको भेजकर अग्निदेव दूसरे स्थानमें चले गये। किंतु मत्स्योंने अथर्वासे उनकी स्थिति कहाँ है, यह बता दिया। इससे कुपित होकर अग्निने उन्हें शाप देते हुए कहा --“तुम लोग नाना प्रकारसे जीवोंके भक्ष्य बनोगे” ।। अथर्वाणं तथा चापि हव्यवाहो<ब्रवीद् वच:,तदनन्तर अग्निने अथर्वासे फिर वही बात कही। उस समय देवताओंके कहनेसे अथर्वा मुनिने सह नामक अग्निदेवसे अत्यन्त अनुनय-विनय की; परन्तु उन्होंने न तो हविष्य ढोनेका भार लेनेकी इच्छा की और न वे अपने उस जीर्ण शरीरका ही भार सह सके। अन्ततोगत्वा उन्होंने शरीर त्याग दिया
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca | evaṃ prakāram atharvākaṃ preṣya havyavāho 'gnidevo 'nyatra jagāma | kintu matsyair atharvāya tasya sthitiḥ kutra iti niveditā | tataḥ kupito 'gnir abhīśāpayan uvāca—“yūyaṃ nānāprakāraiḥ prāṇināṃ bhakṣyā bhaviṣyatha” iti || atharvāṇaṃ tathā cāpi havyavāho 'bravīd vacaḥ | tadanantaram agnir atharvāya punar eva tad vacaḥ provāca | tadā devavacanād atharvā munis saha-nāmānaṃ agnidevaṃ atyantaṃ prārthayām āsa; sa tu na havir-vāhana-bhāraṃ grahītuṃ cakāma, na ca svaṃ jīrṇaṃ śarīra-bhāram api soḍhuṃ śaśāka | ante sa śarīraṃ tyaktavān ||
Markandeya said: Having thus dispatched Atharvāka, Agni—the bearer of oblations—departed for another place. But the fishes revealed to Atharvā where he was. Enraged at this, Agni pronounced a curse upon them: “You shall become food for living creatures in many different ways.” Thereafter the Fire-god spoke the same matter again to Atharvā. Then, at the urging of the gods, the sage Atharvā earnestly pleaded with Agni (also called Saha). Yet Agni neither wished to take up the burden of carrying the sacrificial offering, nor could he even bear the weight of his own worn-out body. In the end, he abandoned his body.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights moral causality: actions that obstruct or expose divine intent can invite consequences (the fishes become prey). It also underscores the limits of embodied existence—even a divine force like Agni is portrayed as constrained by ‘burden’ and bodily decline, pointing to impermanence and the gravity of duty.
Agni leaves after sending Atharvāka, but the fishes disclose Agni’s whereabouts to Atharvā. Agni, angered, curses the fishes to become food for many beings. Atharvā then pleads with Agni (called Saha) at the gods’ request, but Agni refuses the task of carrying oblations and, unable to bear his worn body, finally gives up his body.