Shloka 23
Marutta’s Sacrifice and Agni’s Embassy (मरुत्त-यज्ञे दूतत्वम्)
उवाचेदं मानुषा ये च दिव्या: प्रजापतेयें च लोका महान्त: । तांश्लेल्लभेयं संविदं तेन कृत्वा तथापि नेच्छेयमिति प्रतीत:
uvācedaṃ mānuṣā ye ca divyāḥ prajāpateyeṃ ca lokā mahāntaḥ | tāñ ślellabheyaṃ saṃvidaṃ tena kṛtvā tathāpi neccheyam iti pratītaḥ ||
Vyāsa dit : «Quand bien même les grands mondes —le monde des hommes, le monde divin et les vastes mondes de Prajāpati— ne pourraient s’obtenir qu’en concluant un pacte avec Indra, je ne choisirais pas pour autant Bṛhaspati comme prêtre officiant de mon sacrifice. Telle est ma décision, ferme et inébranlable.»
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfast ethical resolve: even immense rewards (exalted worlds) are not worth accepting a course of action one judges improper. It frames dharma as integrity that does not bend for gain, even when the gain is cosmic in scale.
Vyāsa reports a speaker’s firm declaration: even if access to the highest realms required making an agreement with Indra, the speaker would still refuse to appoint Bṛhaspati as the priest for the sacrifice, emphasizing an unshakeable decision despite tempting outcomes.