Shloka 36

Cyavana’s Yogic Display and Kuśika’s Recognition of Tapas (च्यवन-योगप्रभावः कुशिकस्य तपःप्रशंसा च)

Devanagari script

हवींषि सर्वाणि यथा हुपभुड्धक्ते हुताशन: । एवं त्वमपि धर्मात्मन्‌ पुरुषाग्नि: प्रतापवान्‌

Transliteration

havīṁṣi sarvāṇi yathā hutabhug bhakṣate hutāśanaḥ | evaṁ tvam api dharmātman puruṣāgniḥ pratāpavān ||

Translation

ਵਿਆਸ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਧਰਮਾਤਮਾ! ਜਿਵੇਂ ਹਵਿ-ਭੋਜੀ ਅਗਨਿਦੇਵ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਆਹੁਤੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਭਸਮ ਕਰ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਤਿਵੇਂ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਵੀ ‘ਪੁਰੁਸ਼-ਅਗਨੀ’ ਵਾਂਗ ਪ੍ਰਤਾਪਵਾਨ ਹੋ ਅਤੇ ਸਾਡੇ ਦੋਸ਼ ਤੇ ਦੁਰਗੁਣ ਸਾੜ ਸਕਦੇ ਹੋ।

Word by Word

• हवींषि: oblations
• हवींषि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• हुतभुक्: the oblation-eater (Fire)
• हुतभुक्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुतभुज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भुङ्क्ते: consumes
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• हुताशनः: Fire (the eater of offerings)
• हुताशनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुताशन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एवम्: thus, in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• धर्मात्मन्: O righteous-souled one
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुरुषाग्निः: a man who is (like) fire; fire-like person
• पुरुषाग्निः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषाग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, radiant
• प्रतापवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

व्यवन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Agni (Hutabhuk/Hutāśana)
• havis (oblations)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A truly dharmic and powerful person is compared to sacrificial fire: as fire consumes offerings, such a person can ‘consume’ or burn away moral defects—through righteous authority, discipline, and purifying influence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses a righteous, formidable figure and praises him with an Agni-simile, saying that he is like a human fire capable of destroying the listeners’ faults and vices.