Shloka 8

Marutta Seeks Saṃvarta’s Priestly Support; Conditions, Truth-Discipline, and Rival Powers

Devanagari script

वातप्रधानेन मया स्वचित्तवशवर्तिना । एवं विकृतरूपेण कथं याजितुमिच्छसि,“नरेश्वर! मैं तो वायु-प्रधान--बावला हूँ, अपने मनकी मौजसे ही सब काम करता हूँ, मेरा रूप भी विकृत है। अतः मुझ-जैसे व्यक्तिसे तुम क्‍यों यज्ञ कराना चाहते हो?

Transliteration

vāta-pradhānena mayā sva-citta-vaśa-vartinā | evaṁ vikṛta-rūpeṇa kathaṁ yājitum icchasi ||

Translation

ಅವನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—“ನರೇಶ್ವರನೇ! ನಾನು ವಾಯುಪ್ರಧಾನ, ಚಂಚಲ; ನನ್ನ ಚಿತ್ತದ ವಶದಲ್ಲೇ ನಡೆಯುವವನು. ನನ್ನ ರೂಪವೂ ವಿಕೃತವಾಗಿದೆ. ಹಾಗಿರಲು ನನ್ನಂತಹವನಿಂದ ಯಜ್ಞವನ್ನು ಏಕೆ ಮಾಡಿಸಬೇಕೆಂದು ಬಯಸುತ್ತೀರಿ?”

Word by Word

वातप्रधानेनby/with (one) dominated by wind

मयाby me / I

स्वचित्तवशवर्तिनाby one who acts under the control of his own mind

एवम्thus

विकृतरूपेणwith a deformed/altered form

कथम्how

याजितुम्to make (someone) perform a sacrifice / to officiate a sacrifice

इच्छसिyou wish/desire

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

nareśvara (the king addressed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical fitness for sacred duty: one should recognize personal limitations and question whether outward irregularity or inner instability is compatible with officiating a solemn rite. It also models humility and self-assessment before accepting religious authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses a king and expresses reluctance to conduct a sacrifice, describing himself as wind-dominated (restless, acting by the mind’s whim) and of unconventional appearance, and asks why the king would choose him as the officiant.