Mahabharata — Udyoga Parva, Shloka 18

Pātāla-varṇana (Nārada’s Description of the Netherworld) / पातालवर्णनम्

Devanagari script

अग्निरेष महार्चिष्माज्जागर्ति वारुणे हदे । वैष्णवं चक्रमाविद्धं विधूमेन हविष्मता

Transliteration

agnir eṣa mahārcīṣmāj jāgarti vāruṇe hrade | vaiṣṇavaṃ cakram āviddhaṃ vidhūmena haviṣmatā ||

Translation

กัณวะกล่าวว่า “จงดูเถิด เทพอัคนีผู้มีเปลวเพลิงใหญ่ยิ่งนี้กำลังตื่นเฝ้าอยู่ในสระของวรุณ ด้วยเครื่องบูชาที่ปราศจากควัน เขายังเคยสกัดและกักไว้แม้กระทั่งจักรของพระวิษณุ”

Word by Word

• अग्निः: Agni (fire-god)
• अग्निः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महा-अर्चिष्मात्: from (one) of great flame/splendour
• महा-अर्चिष्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-अर्चिष्मन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• जागर्ति: is awake / keeps watch
• Type: Verb
• Root: जागृ
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वारुणे: in Varuṇa’s (place) / belonging to Varuṇa
• वारुणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारुण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ह्रदे: in the lake
• ह्रदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ह्रद
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वैष्णवम्: Viṣṇu’s
• वैष्णवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चक्रम्: discus
• चक्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आविद्धम्: hurled / set in motion / struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-व्यध्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विधूमेन: with smokeless (fire)
• विधूमेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धूम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• हविष्मता: with (one) possessing oblation / rich in offerings
• हविष्मता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हविष्मत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

कण्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kaṇva
• Agni
• Varuṇa
• Varuṇa’s lake (vāruṇa-hrada)
• Viṣṇu
• Viṣṇu’s discus (Sudarśana-cakra)
• havis (sacrificial oblation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the potency of pure, disciplined sacrificial action (smokeless oblation) and vigilant self-mastery: dharmic power rooted in restraint and right ritual can curb even overwhelming force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kaṇva points out a wondrous sight: the radiant Agni is present and watchful in Varuṇa’s lake, and through smokeless offerings he is described as having checked even Viṣṇu’s discus—an image underscoring extraordinary divine and ritual power.