Shloka 13
दमयन्ती-शपथः वायोः साक्ष्यं च
Damayantī’s Oath and Vāyu’s Testimony
तृणमुष्टिं समादाय सवितुस्तं समादधत् । अथ प्रज्वलितस्तत्र सहसा हव्यवाहन:,परंतु बाहुकके देखते ही वे सारे घड़े पानीसे भर गये। उससे खाद्य पदार्थोंकी धोकर बाहुकने चूल्हेपर चढ़ा दिया। फिर एक मुद्ठी तिनका लेकर सूर्यकी किरणोंसे ही उसे उद्दीप्त किया। फिर तो देखते-ही-देखते सहसा उसमें आग प्रज्वलित हो गयी
tṛṇamuṣṭiṃ samādāya savitustaṃ samādadhat | atha prajvalitastatra sahasā havyavāhanaḥ ||
Wika ni Bṛhadaśva: “Kumuha siya ng isang dakot na tuyong damo at inilagay sa mga sinag ng araw. At doon mismo, ang apoy—tagapagdala ng mga handog—ay biglang sumiklab.”
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights practical dharma: when duty (such as preparing food or serving guests) must be fulfilled, one should act with ingenuity and steadiness, making effective use of available means without abandoning purity of purpose.
A character takes a handful of dry grass and positions it in the sun’s rays; immediately, fire (Agni, the ‘bearer of offerings’) is kindled there, enabling the next steps of cooking/ritual preparation in the story context.