Shloka 28
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
ततो महात्मा तानाह दहनो ब्राह्मणर्षभान् | वरयाम्यात्मनोअर्थाय दुर्योधनसुतामिति,उस समय महात्मा अग्निने जन श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणोंसे कहा--“मैं दुर्योधनकी पुत्रीका अपने लिये वरण करता हूँ
tato mahātmā tān āha dahano brāhmaṇarṣabhān | varayāmy ātmano'rthāya duryodhanasutām iti ||
അപ്പോൾ മഹാത്മാവായ ദഹനൻ (അഗ്നി) ആ ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരോട് പറഞ്ഞു—“എന്റെ ആവശ്യാർത്ഥം ദുര്യോധനന്റെ പുത്രിയെ ഞാൻ വരിക്കുന്നു.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the formal declaration of choice (varaṇa) made before respected Brahmins, underscoring that major social acts—especially marriage—are framed through recognized authority and public accountability, even when the agent is extraordinary (here, Agni).
Agni addresses the assembled eminent Brahmins and announces his intention to choose Duryodhana’s daughter as his bride, setting a decisive turn in the episode by making his purpose explicit before witnesses.