Shloka 31
Marutta’s Sacrifice and Agni’s Embassy (मरुत्त-यज्ञे दूतत्वम्)
अग्निर्वाच यत्र शर्यातिं च्यवनो याजयिष्यन् सहाश्रिभ्यां सोममगृह्नादेक: । त॑ त्वं क्रुद्धः प्रत्यषेधी: पुरस्ता- च्छर्यातियज्ञं समर त॑ महेन्द्र
agnir uvāca yatra śaryātiṁ cyavano yājayiṣyan sahāśribhyāṁ somam agṛhnād ekaḥ | taṁ tvaṁ kruddhaḥ praty-aṣedhīḥ purastāc charyāti-yajñaṁ smara taṁ mahendra ||
Agni dit : «Souviens-toi, ô Mahendra, du sacrifice du roi Śaryāti, où le sage Cyavana officiait. Bien que toi, enflammé de colère, aies voulu l’interdire d’avance, lui seul—par la force de son pouvoir d’ascèse—obtint et assura le Soma, et fit qu’on le bût, en comptant aussi les jumeaux Aśvin parmi les dieux.»
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that anger-driven obstruction of rightful ritual order fails before tapas and dharma. Authority—divine or royal—must align with justice and proper inclusion; otherwise, spiritual merit and truth can override mere power.
Agni reminds Indra of an earlier incident: during King Śaryāti’s sacrifice officiated by the sage Cyavana, Indra tried to prevent the Aśvins from receiving Soma. Cyavana, acting alone through his spiritual potency, ensured Soma was obtained and shared with the gods including the Aśvins, despite Indra’s opposition.