Shloka 25

Dharma-pratyabhijñāna and Vara-pradāna (धर्मप्रत्यभिज्ञानम्—वरप्रदानम्)

Devanagari script

गुर्वग्निहोत्रार्थकृते प्रस्थितश्च॒ सुतस्तव । न निवार्यों निवार्य: स्यथादन्यथा प्रस्थितो वनम्‌

Transliteration

gurvagnihotrārthakṛte prasthitaś ca sutas tava | na nivāryo nivāryaḥ syād athānyathā prasthito vanam ||

Translation

Putramu telah berangkat untuk menunaikan kewajiban kepada guru dan memelihara upacara agnihotra. Ia tak patut dihalangi; bila dihalangi, jalannya peristiwa akan berubah—ia telah berangkat ke hutan.

Word by Word

गुरुthe teacher/elder

अग्निहोत्रार्थकृतेfor the purpose of the Agnihotra (rite)

प्रस्थितःhaving set out / departed

चand

सुतःson

तवyour

नnot

निवार्यःto be restrained / restrainable

स्यात्would be / should be

अथthen / now

अन्यथाotherwise

प्रस्थितःhaving set out / departed

वनम्to the forest

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

guru (teacher)

agnihotra (sacred fire-ritual)

suta (the son)

vana (forest)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes dharma as faithful performance of obligatory duties—service to one’s teacher and maintenance of sacred rites—and cautions against obstructing a righteous course of action, since interference can distort outcomes and moral order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya informs the listener that the son has already departed for the forest to carry out obligations connected with his teacher and the Agnihotra ritual, and advises that he should not be stopped.