Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेय उवाच संस्पृशन्निव सर्वास्ता: शिखाभि: काउचनप्रभा: । पश्यमाननश्च मुमुदे गार्हपत्यं समाश्रित:,मार्कण्डेयजी कहते हैं--राजन! ऐसा निश्चय करके अग्निदेवने गार्हपत्य अग्निका आश्रय लिया और अपनी लपटोंसे स्वर्गकी-सी कान्तिवाली उन ऋषि-पत्नियोंका स्पर्श तथा दर्शन-सा करते हुए वे बड़ी प्रसन्नताका अनुभव करने लगे

Transliteration

Mārkaṇḍeya uvāca saṁspṛśann iva sarvāstāḥ śikhābhiḥ kāñcanaprabhāḥ | paśyamānaś ca mumude gārhapatyaṁ samāśritaḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Mārkaṇḍeya: Nang mapagpasyahan niya iyon, si Agni ay sumilong sa apoy na Gārhapatya. Sa kaniyang mga liyab na kumikislap na tila ginto, wari’y nahahaplos at natatanaw niya ang lahat ng mga asawa ng mga rishi; at sa (pinipigil na) haplos at tanaw na iyon, nakadama siya ng malaking ligaya.

Word by Word

मार्कण्डेयःMarkandeya

उवाचsaid

संस्पृशन्touching

इवas if

सर्वाःall

ताःthose (women)

शिखाभिःwith flames

काञ्चनप्रभाःgolden-radiant

पश्यमानःseeing

चand

मुमुदेrejoiced

गार्हपत्यम्the Gārhapatya (household) fire

समाश्रितःhaving resorted to

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Agni (Agni-deva)

Gārhapatya fire

Ṛ

ṛṣi-patnīḥ (wives of sages)

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 highlights dharmic containment of desire: even when attraction arises, it should be regulated through lawful, ritually sanctioned boundaries (symbolized by Agni’s taking refuge in the Gārhapatya fire) rather than pursued as a breach of moral order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Agni, after making a determination, enters/abides in the household sacred fire (Gārhapatya). With golden flames he ‘as if’ touches and beholds the sages’ wives, and this constrained, indirect contact/vision brings him joy.