Shloka 18
च्यवन-यज्ञे अश्विनोः सोमग्रहण-विवादः
Cyavana’s Sacrifice and the Aśvins’ Soma Dispute
त॑ स्तम्भयित्वा च्यवनो जुहुवे मन्त्रतो5नलम् । कृत्यार्थी सुमहातेजा देवं हिंसितुमुद्यत:,इस प्रकार उनकी भुजा स्तंभित करके महातेजस्वी च्यवन ऋषिने मन्त्रोच्चारणपूर्वक अग्निमें आहुति दी। वे देवराज इन्द्रको मार डालनेके लिये उद्यत होकर कृत्या उत्पन्न करना चाहते थे
tān stambhayitvā cyavano juhuve mantrato 'nalam | kṛtyārthī sumahātejā devaṃ hiṃsitum udyataḥ ||
Tendo-os imobilizado, o poderoso sábio Cyavana verteu oblações no fogo com os mantras prescritos. Ardendo no intento de consumar um rito hostil, preparava-se para fazer surgir uma kṛtyā—decidido a ferir o deus (Indra).
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that spiritual and ritual power (mantra, yajña, tapas) is ethically charged: when driven by hostility, it can become destructive and adharma-leaning, even when executed with perfect ritual correctness.
Cyavana restrains certain persons (“them”), then performs a mantra-guided fire-offering, intending to generate a kṛtyā (a hostile, personified rite) with the aim of harming Indra.