Shloka 44
Jarītā–Śārṅgā-saṃvāda: Ākhu-haraṇa and the Approach of Agni (आखुहरणं अग्न्यागमनश्च)
स्वयं मां देवदेवेश याजयस्व सुरेश्वर । एतच्छुत्वा तु वचन राज्ञा तेन प्रभाषितम्
svayaṁ māṁ devadeveśa yājayasva sureśvara | etac chrutvā tu vacanaṁ rājñā tena prabhāṣitam ||
The king said, “O Lord of the gods, O ruler of the celestials—perform the sacrifice for me yourself.” Hearing these words spoken by that king, Vaiśaṁpāyana continues the narration, marking the king’s act of reverent submission and his desire to place the rite under the highest divine authority rather than mere human agency.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic attitude toward ritual: the king seeks the highest, most legitimate authority for a sacred act, expressing humility and devotion. Ethically, it suggests that power and prosperity should be pursued through reverence, right means, and proper consecration rather than mere self-will.
A king addresses a divine figure with exalted epithets (“Lord of the gods”) and asks that deity to officiate his sacrifice personally. The narrator (Vaiśaṁpāyana) frames the moment by noting that these were the king’s spoken words, setting up the next response or development in the episode.