Shloka 12

Marutta’s Sacrifice and Agni’s Embassy (मरुत्त-यज्ञे दूतत्वम्)

Devanagari script

अग्निर्वाच आसन सलिल पाद्यं प्रतिनन्दामि तेडनघ । इन्द्रेण तु समादिदष्टं विद्धि मां दूतमागतम्‌

Transliteration

agniḥ uvāca—āsana-salila-pādyaṁ pratinandāmi te ’n-agha | indreṇa tu samādiṣṭaṁ viddhi māṁ dūtam āgatam ||

Translation

ଅଗ୍ନି କହିଲେ—ନିଷ୍ପାପ ରାଜନ୍! ଆପଣ ଦିଆ ଆସନ, ଜଳ ଓ ପାଦ୍ୟକୁ ମୁଁ କୃତଜ୍ଞତାସହ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରି ସମ୍ମାନ କରୁଛି। ଜାଣନ୍ତୁ, ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ଆଜ୍ଞାରେ ମୁଁ ତାଙ୍କର ଦୂତ ହୋଇ ଏଠାକୁ ଆସିଛି।

Word by Word

• अग्निः: Agni (Fire-god)
• अग्निः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आसनम्: seat
• आसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सलिलम्: water
• सलिलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पाद्यम्: water for washing the feet (pādya)
• पाद्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिनन्दामि: I accept with thanks / I welcome
• Type: Verb
• Root: नन्द्
• Form: Present, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• अनघ: O sinless one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनघ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• इन्द्रेण: by Indra
• इन्द्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• समादिष्टम्: commanded / instructed
• समादिष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√दिश्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विद्धि: know (you) / understand
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• दूतम्: messenger
• दूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आगतम्: come / arrived
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√गम्
• Form: Past active participle (क्तवतु/क्त) used adjectivally, Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

मरुत्त उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Indra
• Marutta (implied addressee, the king)
• āsana
• salila
• pādya
• dūta (messenger role)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic hospitality: honoring a guest with traditional offerings (seat, water, foot-washing) is righteous conduct, and even divine beings acknowledge such respect. It also underscores the ethical weight of a messenger’s role—one speaks with the authority of the sender.

What is happening in the narrative?

Agni addresses King Marutta, accepting the king’s formal welcome and then revealing his purpose: he has arrived as Indra’s envoy, carrying Indra’s message and acting under Indra’s commission.