Shloka 22
द्रौपदी–सत्यभामा संवादः
Draupadī and Satyabhāmā on ethical household conduct
अग्र॑ यच्छन्ति भूतानां येन भूतानि नित्यदा । कर्मस्विह विचित्रेषु सो5ग्रणीर्वद्विरुच्यते,मनुष्य आदि समस्त भूत-प्राणी सर्वदा भाँति-भाँतिके कर्मोमें जिनके द्वारा सब भूतोंके लिये अन्नका अग्रभाग अर्पण करते हैं वे अग्रणी नामक अग्नि (मनुके पाँचवें पुत्र) कहलाते हैं
agraṁ yacchanti bhūtānāṁ yena bhūtāni nityadā | karmasv iha vicitreṣu so 'graṇīr vad virucyate ||
Mārkaṇḍeya berkata: “Dia yang olehnya, dalam beragam kewajiban di dunia ini, bagian pertama dari makanan senantiasa dipersembahkan demi semua makhluk—sehingga makhluk-makhluk terpelihara—dialah yang termasyhur sebagai ‘Agraṇī’, Sang Pemimpin.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises the dharmic principle of offering the first share (agra) before personal consumption—an ethic of prioritizing the welfare of all beings through ritualized generosity and acknowledgment of sustaining powers (Agni/offerings).
Mārkaṇḍeya is explaining the significance of the name/epithet ‘Agraṇī’: the one who leads by ensuring that, amid diverse worldly and ritual actions, the foremost portion is offered for the benefit and sustenance of beings—hence the association with Agni and traditional genealogical identification.