Shloka 14

अलम्बुस-वधः

The Neutralization of Alambusa

Devanagari script

समिद्धिः सपवित्राभिरग्निमाहुतिभिस्तथा । मन्त्रपूताभिररचिर त्वा निश्चक्राम गृहात्‌ ततः,वहाँ पवित्री (कुशके दो पत्तों)-सहित समिधाओं तथा मन्त्रपूत आहुतियोंसे अग्निदेवकी पूजा करके वे उस अग्निहोत्रगृहसे बाहर निकले

Transliteration

samiddhiḥ sapavitrābhir agnim āhutibhis tathā | mantrapūtābhir arcitvā niścakrāma gṛhāt tataḥ ||

Translation

सञ्जय उवाच—सपवित्राभिः समिद्धिभिः समिद्धमग्निं मन्त्रपूताभिराहुतिभिश्च सम्यग् अर्चयित्वा, ततोऽग्निहोत्रगृहात् स निश्चक्राम। युद्धभारमध्यगतेऽपि विधिनियतकर्मणा मनः शुद्धीकृत्य ततः कर्म प्रवर्तते इति भावः।

Word by Word

समिद्धिःwith fuel-sticks (samidh)

सपवित्राभिःtogether with purifying (kusha) blades/rings

अग्निम्Agni (the fire-god / fire)

आहुतिभिःwith oblations

तथाand also / likewise

मन्त्रपूताभिःpurified by mantras

अरचयन्they worshipped / they performed (the rite)

त्वाyou (thee)

निश्चक्रामुःthey went out / they departed

गृहात्from the house

ततःthen / thereafter

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Agni

samidh (fuel-sticks)

pavitra (kuśa-grass purifier)

āhuti (oblations)

agnihotra-gṛha (fire-ritual chamber/house)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ritual and moral discipline: actions—especially in tense, war-bound circumstances—should be preceded by purification, mantra-sanctified intention, and reverence for dharma, symbolized by proper worship of Agni.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that the person concerned performs a fire-rite: kindles the fire with samidh and pavitra-kuśa, offers mantra-purified oblations, worships Agni, and then exits the ritual chamber.