Shloka 26

Kaurava Court Hears of the Pāṇḍavas’ Forest Hardship (वैचित्रवीर्यवंशीयस्य राज्ञः करुणाविचारः)

Devanagari script

भागार्थ तपसो धातु तेषां सोम॑ तथाध्वरे

Transliteration

bhāgārtha tapaso dhātu teṣāṃ soma tathādhvare

Translation

มารกัณฑยะกล่าวว่า “สำหรับพวกเขา โสมะในพิธียัญเป็นทั้งส่วนอันชอบธรรมและแก่นสารที่ค้ำจุน เป็นสภาวะที่หล่อเลี้ยงตบะและเกื้อหนุนกิจศักดิ์สิทธิ์ของเขา”

Word by Word

भागार्थम्for the sake of a share/portion

तपसःof austerity/penance

धातुःthe element/constituent; (also) a mineral/metal

तेषाम्of them

सोमःSoma (the sacred drink/deity/moon)

तथाthus; likewise

अध्वरेin the sacrifice (adhvara)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Soma

Adhvara (sacrifice)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links tapas (austerity) and yajña (sacrifice) through the idea of rightful share (bhāga): sacred action is sustained when offerings are properly apportioned and directed, with Soma functioning as a key sustaining essence within the ritual order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is describing the ritual framework in which certain beings or participants are sustained: in the context of sacrifice (adhvara), Soma is identified as their sustaining principle and the object connected with their due portion and purpose.