Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

यजनं बहुशश्चाग्नौ जगु: सामानि सामगा: । ततश्चन्दनकाष्ठैश्ष तथा कालीयकैरपि

Transliteration

yajanaṃ bahuśaścāgnau jaguḥ sāmāni sāmagāḥ | tataścandanakāṣṭhaiś ca tathā kālīyakair api ||

Translation

Wika ni Vaiśampāyana: Ang mga tagapag-awit ng Sāma ay paulit-ulit na naghandog ng mga alay sa sagradong apoy at umawit ng mga himnong Sāman. Pagkaraan, nagdagdag pa sila ng kahoy na sandal at ng mabangong kālīyaka, upang lalo pang tumingkad ang kabanalan at kadalisayan ng seremonya.

Word by Word

• यजनम्: sacrifice, worship-rite
• यजनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बहुशः: many times, repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशस्

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अग्नौ: in the fire
• अग्नौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• जगुः: they sang/chanted
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural

• सामानि: Sāman hymns
• सामानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• सामगाः: Sāma-chanters
• सामगाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• चन्दनकाष्ठैः: with sandalwood pieces/logs
• चन्दनकाष्ठैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दनकाष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• कालीयकैः: with black aloe/agarwood (kālīyaka) pieces
• कालीयकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालीयक
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Agni (sacrificial fire)
• Sāmagāḥ (Sāmaveda chanters)
• Sāmāni (Sāman hymns)
• Candana (sandalwood)
• Kālīyaka (aromatic substance)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic ritual discipline: sacred acts are strengthened by correct Vedic recitation and by offering pure, auspicious substances. Ethical emphasis lies in reverence, purity, and careful performance rather than mere outward display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes a yajña scene where Sāmaveda chanters repeatedly make offerings into the fire while singing Sāman hymns, and then enhance the rite by using fragrant materials like sandalwood and kālīyaka.