Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

क्षात्राद्‌ बलाद्‌ ब्रह्मबलं गरीयो न ब्रह्मतः किंचिदन्यद्‌ गरीय: । सोऊहं जानन्‌ ब्रह्मतेजो यथाव- न्न संवर्त जेतुमिच्छामि शक्र

Transliteration

kṣātrād balād brahmabalaṃ garīyo na brahmataḥ kiṃcid anyad garīyaḥ | so ’haṃ jānann brahmatejo yathāvan na saṃvartaṃ jetum icchāmi śakra ||

Translation

ଶକ୍ର (ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର) କହିଲେ—କ୍ଷାତ୍ରବଳଠାରୁ ବ୍ରହ୍ମବଳ ଅଧିକ ଗୁରୁତର; ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣବଳଠାରୁ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଅନ୍ୟ କୌଣସି ଶକ୍ତି ନାହିଁ। ବ୍ରହ୍ମତେଜର ସତ୍ୟ ସାମର୍ଥ୍ୟକୁ ମୁଁ ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଜାଣେ; ତେଣୁ ସଂବର୍ତ୍ତକୁ ଜିତିବା ଇଚ୍ଛା ମଧ୍ୟ ମୋର ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• क्षात्रात्: than kshatriya-power / from martial power
• क्षात्रात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षात्र
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• बलात्: than strength / from strength
• बलात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• ब्रह्मबलम्: brahmanical/spiritual power
• ब्रह्मबलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मबल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• गरीयः: greater, superior
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरियस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ब्रह्मतः: than brahman / than spiritual power
• ब्रह्मतः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• किंचित्: anything (at all), something
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित्

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• गरीयः: greater, superior
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरियस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• जानन्: knowing
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मतेजः: the splendor/power of brahman
• ब्रह्मतेजः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मतेजस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यथावत्: properly, as it truly is
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• संवर्तम्: Samvarta (proper name)
• संवर्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवर्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जेतुम्: to conquer
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive)

• इच्छामि: I desire
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Present (Lat), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शक्र: O Shakra (Indra)
• शक्र: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Saṃvarta

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that spiritual authority (brahma-bala/brahma-tejas), rooted in tapas and sacred knowledge, is superior to mere martial force; true wisdom includes recognizing limits and showing reverence toward higher dharmic power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra (Śakra) speaks about the relative hierarchy of powers and, acknowledging the formidable brahma-tejas of the sage Saṃvarta, states that he does not even wish to try to defeat him.