Shloka 443
Jarītā–Śārṅgā-saṃvāda: Ākhu-haraṇa and the Approach of Agni (आखुहरणं अग्न्यागमनश्च)
उवाच भगवान् प्रीतः स्मितपूर्वमिदं वच: । “देवदेवेश! सुरेश्वर! यदि मेरे ऊपर आप सर्वलोक-वन्दित भगवान् प्रसन्न हुए हैं तो स्वयं चलकर मेरा यज्ञ करायें।" राजाकी कही हुई यह बात सुनकर भगवान् शिव प्रसन्न होकर मुसकराते हुए बोले--
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca | uvāca bhagavān prītaḥ smitapūrvam idaṃ vacaḥ | “devadeveśa! sureśvara! yadi me upari āp sarvaloka-vandita bhagavān prasanna hue haiṃ, to svayaṃ calakara mama yajñaṃ kārayeṃ.” rājñā uktaṃ etad vacaḥ śrutvā bhagavān śivaḥ prasannaḥ san muskarāte hue uvāca—
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Pleased, the Blessed Lord spoke these words with a gentle smile. The king said, “O Lord of gods, O sovereign of the celestials! If you—the God revered by all worlds—are truly gracious toward me, then come in person and have my sacrifice performed.” Hearing the king’s request, Lord Śiva, delighted, replied with a smile—thus the narrative turns on devotion expressed as humble petition and the ethical ideal of honoring sacred rites through divine sanction.
वैशम्पायन उवाच