Shloka 36

Agni’s Withdrawal to the Forest and Identification with Āṅgirasa (अग्न्याङ्गिरस-इतिहासः)

Devanagari script

योड्ध्यापयेदधीयीत यजेद्‌ वा याजयीत वा

Transliteration

yoddhyāpayed adhīyīta yajed vā yājayīta vā

Translation

Dijo el brāhmaṇa: «Uno puede adiestrar a otros en la guerra, o entregarse al estudio sagrado; puede celebrar un sacrificio por sí mismo, o bien oficiar y conducir sacrificios para otros».

Word by Word

• योध्यापयेत्: should cause (someone) to fight / should train for battle
• योध्यापयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Potential/Optative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Causative (णिच्)

• अधीयीत: should study
• अधीयीत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Potential/Optative, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• यजेत्: should sacrifice / should worship
• यजेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Potential/Optative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• याजयीत: should cause (someone) to sacrifice / should officiate as priest
• याजयीत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Potential/Optative, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada, Causative (णिच्)

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (a brāhmaṇa speaker)
• यज्ञ (sacrifice, as an institution)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse lists legitimate avenues of action—teaching martial skills, pursuing Vedic study, performing sacrifice, or officiating for others—framing them as recognized duties/occupations within a dharmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa speaker is enumerating permissible forms of conduct and livelihood, contrasting different sanctioned activities (instruction, study, sacrifice, priestly officiation) as part of a broader discussion on dharma.