Shloka 17
Marutta’s Sacrifice and Agni’s Embassy (मरुत्त-यज्ञे दूतत्वम्)
अग्निर॒वाच ये वै लोका देवलोके महान्तः सम्प्राप्स्यसे तान् देवराजप्रसादात् । त्वां चेदसौ याजयेद् वै बृहस्पति- नून॑ स्वर्ग त्वं जये: कीर्तियुक्त:
agnir uvāca—ye vai lokā devaloke mahāntaḥ samprāpsyase tān devarāja-prasādāt | tvāṃ ced asau yājayed vai bṛhaspatiḥ nūnaṃ svargaṃ tvaṃ jayeḥ kīrti-yuktaḥ |
Agni dit : «Ô roi, par la faveur d’Indra, seigneur des dieux, tu atteindras tous ces grands royaumes qui se trouvent dans le monde des dieux. Et si Bṛhaspati lui-même officie ton sacrifice, alors, assurément—porté par la renommée—tu remporteras même la victoire sur le ciel.»
मरुत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage links righteous royal sacrifice (yajña) with both divine favor and moral reputation: when a king performs ritual duty under a worthy priest (Bṛhaspati) and with Indra’s grace, he gains exalted realms and lasting fame—suggesting that spiritual attainment is tied to proper means, authority, and ethical legitimacy.
Agni addresses the king, promising access to the great heavenly realms through Indra’s favor, and adds that if Bṛhaspati serves as the officiating priest for the king’s sacrifice, the king will certainly achieve renown and victory in heaven.