Shloka 31
Marutta’s Sacrifice and Agni’s Embassy (मरुत्त-यज्ञे दूतत्वम्)
अग्निर्वाच यत्र शर्यातिं च्यवनो याजयिष्यन् सहाश्रिभ्यां सोममगृह्नादेक: । त॑ त्वं क्रुद्धः प्रत्यषेधी: पुरस्ता- च्छर्यातियज्ञं समर त॑ महेन्द्र,अग्निदेवने कहा--महेन्द्र! राजा शर्यातिके उस यज्ञका तो स्मरण कीजिये, जहाँ महर्षि च्यवन उनका यज्ञ करानेवाले थे। आप क्रोधमें भरकर उन्हें मना करते ही रह गये और उन्होंने अकेले अपने ही प्रभावसे सम्पूर्ण देवताओंसहित अश्विनीकुमारोंके साथ सोमरसका पान किया
agnir uvāca yatra śaryātiṁ cyavano yājayiṣyan sahāśribhyāṁ somam agṛhnād ekaḥ | taṁ tvaṁ kruddhaḥ praty-aṣedhīḥ purastāc charyāti-yajñaṁ smara taṁ mahendra ||
Agni said: “Recall, O Mahendra, that sacrifice of King Śaryāti, where the sage Cyavana was officiating. Though you, inflamed with anger, tried to forbid it beforehand, he alone—by the force of his own spiritual power—took and secured the Soma, and with the Aśvin twins included among the gods, caused it to be drunk. The episode reminds one that divine authority is not upheld by wrath, but by justice and rightful inclusion.”
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that anger-driven obstruction of rightful ritual order fails before tapas and dharma. Authority—divine or royal—must align with justice and proper inclusion; otherwise, spiritual merit and truth can override mere power.
Agni reminds Indra of an earlier incident: during King Śaryāti’s sacrifice officiated by the sage Cyavana, Indra tried to prevent the Aśvins from receiving Soma. Cyavana, acting alone through his spiritual potency, ensured Soma was obtained and shared with the gods including the Aśvins, despite Indra’s opposition.