Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अग्र॑ यच्छन्ति भूतानां येन भूतानि नित्यदा । कर्मस्विह विचित्रेषु सो5ग्रणीर्वद्विरुच्यते,मनुष्य आदि समस्त भूत-प्राणी सर्वदा भाँति-भाँतिके कर्मोमें जिनके द्वारा सब भूतोंके लिये अन्नका अग्रभाग अर्पण करते हैं वे अग्रणी नामक अग्नि (मनुके पाँचवें पुत्र) कहलाते हैं

Transliteration

agraṁ yacchanti bhūtānāṁ yena bhūtāni nityadā | karmasv iha vicitreṣu so 'graṇīr vad virucyate ||

Translation

Markandeya said: “He by whom, in the varied duties performed here, the foremost portion of food is continually offered for the sake of all beings—so that beings are sustained—he is celebrated as ‘Agraṇī’ (the Leader).” In this context, Agraṇī is identified as the fire-deity associated with the offering of the first share, and is also remembered in the genealogical tradition as a son of Manu.

Word by Word

अग्रेin the front/first; at the beginning

यच्छन्तिthey offer/give

भूतानाम्of beings; for beings

येनby whom/whereby

भूतानिbeings

नित्यदाalways; at all times

कर्मसुin actions/rites

इहhere; in this world/context

विचित्रेषुvarious; diverse

सःhe

अग्रणीःleader; one who goes in front (name: Agranī)

वत्as; like

विरुच्यतेis called; is spoken of as

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Agraṇī

Agni (Fire, implied by identification)

Manu (implied by the traditional note)

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 praises the dharmic principle of offering the first share (agra) before personal consumption—an ethic of prioritizing the welfare of all beings through ritualized generosity and acknowledgment of sustaining powers (Agni/offerings).

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is explaining the significance of the name/epithet ‘Agraṇī’: the one who leads by ensuring that, amid diverse worldly and ritual actions, the foremost portion is offered for the benefit and sustenance of beings—hence the association with Agni and traditional genealogical identification.