Shloka 8

Marutta Seeks Saṃvarta’s Priestly Support; Conditions, Truth-Discipline, and Rival Powers

Devanagari script

वातप्रधानेन मया स्वचित्तवशवर्तिना । एवं विकृतरूपेण कथं याजितुमिच्छसि,“नरेश्वर! मैं तो वायु-प्रधान--बावला हूँ, अपने मनकी मौजसे ही सब काम करता हूँ, मेरा रूप भी विकृत है। अतः मुझ-जैसे व्यक्तिसे तुम क्‍यों यज्ञ कराना चाहते हो?

Transliteration

vāta-pradhānena mayā sva-citta-vaśa-vartinā | evaṁ vikṛta-rūpeṇa kathaṁ yājitum icchasi ||

Translation

اس نے کہا—“اے نرادھپ! میں تو ہوا کے غلبے والا، بےقرار اور اپنے ہی دل کے تابع چلنے والا ہوں؛ میرا روپ بھی بگڑا ہوا ہے۔ پھر تم مجھ جیسے شخص سے یَجْن کیوں کرانا چاہتے ہو؟”

Word by Word

वातप्रधानेनby/with (one) dominated by wind

मयाby me / I

स्वचित्तवशवर्तिनाby one who acts under the control of his own mind

एवम्thus

विकृतरूपेणwith a deformed/altered form

कथम्how

याजितुम्to make (someone) perform a sacrifice / to officiate a sacrifice

इच्छसिyou wish/desire

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

nareśvara (the king addressed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

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 ethical fitness for sacred duty: one should recognize personal limitations and question whether outward irregularity or inner instability is compatible with officiating a solemn rite. It also models humility and self-assessment before accepting religious authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses a king and expresses reluctance to conduct a sacrifice, describing himself as wind-dominated (restless, acting by the mind’s whim) and of unconventional appearance, and asks why the king would choose him as the officiant.