Shloka 38
Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda
हविर्धानं स्ववाहिन्यास्तदस्याहुर्मनीषिण: । जो वीर शत्रुसेना के मुहानेको पत्नीशाला बना लेता है, मनीषी पुरुष उसके लिये अपनी सेनाके प्रमुख भागको युद्ध-यज्ञके हवनीय पदार्थोंके रखनेका पात्र बताते हैं ।।
havirdhānaṃ svavāhinyās tad asyāhur manīṣiṇaḥ | yo vīraḥ śatrusenāyā mukhānaṃ patnīśālāṃ banālayati, manīṣiṇaḥ puruṣāḥ tasmai svasenāyāḥ pradhānabhāgaṃ yuddhayajñasya havanīyadravyāṇāṃ nidhānapātraṃ vadanti || sadasyā dakṣiṇā yodhā āgnīdhraś cottarāṃ diśam ||
Sinabi ni Ambarīṣa: “Ipinahahayag ng marurunong na ang pangunahing sisidlan ng handog sa ‘yajña ng digmaan’ na ito ay ang sariling hukbong mahusay na pinamumunuan. Ang bayani na ginagawang ‘pabilyon ng mga asawa’ ang mismong ‘bunganga’ ng hukbo ng kaaway—ibig sabihin, binabasag at ipinapahiya ang kaaway sa unahan—siya, ayon sa mga may pag-unawa, ang nagiging pangunahing sisidlan ng kanyang panig na pinaglalagyan ng mga handog ng tagumpay. Ang mga mandirigma ang dakṣiṇā (kabayaran ng sakripisyo); ang mga tagapagpaganap ay ang mga kasapi ng ritwal; at ang paring Āgnīdhra ay nakatalaga sa hilagang dako.”
अम्बरीष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames warfare through the ethical and symbolic language of yajña: disciplined collective effort (one’s own army) is treated as the chief ‘receptacle’ of success, and decisive courage that breaks the enemy’s front is praised as the principal means by which the ‘offerings’ of victory are secured—while reminding that war has costs, likened to dakṣiṇā (the fee paid in a sacrifice).
Ambarīṣa continues a discourse that maps elements of a Vedic sacrifice onto the battlefield: the army becomes ritual apparatus, warriors become the sacrificial ‘fee,’ and roles like the Āgnīdhra are assigned directions—using this metaphor to explain how leadership and valor function within the larger order of dharma and statecraft.