Rudra’s Omitted Share in the Yajña (रुद्रभागानुपपत्तिः — यज्ञोपाख्यानम्)
ततः स यज्ञ विव्याध रौद्रेण हृदि पत्रिणा | अपक्रान्तस्ततो यज्ञो मृगो भूत्वा सपावक:
tataḥ sa yajñaṁ vivyādha raudreṇa hṛdi patriṇā | apakrāntas tato yajño mṛgo bhūtvā sapāvakaḥ ||
แล้วเขาก็ยิงศรอันดุดันดุจรุทระ แทงทะลุหัวใจแห่งยัญพิธี ครั้นนั้นยัญพิธีพร้อมด้วยไฟศักดิ์สิทธิ์ก็แปลงเป็นกวาง แล้วหนีไปจากที่นั้น
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse suggests that when wrathful force intrudes upon sacred action, the integrity of ritual and dharma is endangered; the ‘flight’ of the yajña symbolizes the loss of auspicious order when violence dominates.
A fierce arrow strikes the personified sacrifice in the heart; the yajña, together with the sacred fire (Agni), transforms into a deer and escapes from the scene.