Shloka 45

Jarītā–Śārṅgā-saṃvāda: Ākhu-haraṇa and the Approach of Agni (आखुहरणं अग्न्यागमनश्च)

Devanagari script

नास्माकमेष विषयो वर्तते याजनं प्रति,“राजन! यज्ञ कराना हमारा काम नहीं है; परंतु तुमने यही वर माँगनेके लिये भारी तपस्या की है, अतः परंतप नरेश! मैं एक शर्तपर तुम्हारा यज्ञ कराऊँगा'

Transliteration

na asmākam eṣa viṣayo vartate yājanaṁ prati | rājan! yajñaṁ kārayituṁ asmākaṁ kāryaṁ na asti; parantu tvayā etad eva varaṁ prārthayituṁ bhāri tapasā kṛtā; ataḥ parantapa nareśa! ahaṁ eka-śartena tava yajñaṁ kārayiṣyāmi ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, conducting sacrifices is not within our proper sphere of duty. Yet you have undertaken severe austerities precisely to obtain this boon. Therefore, O scorcher of foes, O lord of men, I will have your sacrifice performed—but only on one condition.”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अस्माकम्: of us / our
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Plural

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विषयः: domain / concern / business
• विषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वर्तते: exists / applies / is (the case)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• याजनम्: causing (someone) to perform a sacrifice / officiating a sacrifice
• याजनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards / with regard to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rājan (the king, unnamed here)
• yajña (sacrifice/ritual)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights role-based dharma: not every respected person should undertake every religious act. Even when a king’s desire is backed by intense tapas, ritual authority and propriety matter; assistance may be granted, but within ethical boundaries—here expressed as a condition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a king who seeks to have a sacrifice performed as a boon earned through austerities. Vaiśampāyana notes that officiating sacrifices is not normally his domain, yet agrees to arrange the yajña because of the king’s tapas—provided the king accepts a stipulated condition.