Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 93
Rudra-Śiva: Names, Two Natures, and the Logic of Epithets (रुद्रनाम-बहुरूपत्व-प्रकरणम्)
आज्यधूमोद्धवो गन्धो रुणद्धीव तपोवनम् । तं॑ दृष्टवा मे मनः प्रीतं महेश्वर सदा भवेत्
ājyadhūmodbhavo gandho ruṇaddhīva tapovanam | taṁ dṛṣṭvā me manaḥ prītaṁ maheśvara sadā bhavet ||
Maheśvara nói: “Hương thơm bốc lên từ làn khói của lễ hiến dâng bơ sữa (ghee) dường như lan trùm và bao phủ khắp rừng tu khổ hạnh. Thấy vậy, lòng ta luôn hoan hỷ—nguyện Maheśvara mãi được đẹp lòng.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sincere sacrificial offering (especially ājya in fire) and the ascetic-sacrificial atmosphere of a tapovana are presented as intrinsically pleasing to Maheshvara, highlighting the ethical value of purity, disciplined worship, and reverent ritual action.
Maheshvara describes how, when sages pour ghee into the sacred fire, the fragrant smoke spreads through the hermitage-forest; witnessing this, he feels continual delight, indicating divine approval of the sages’ rites and austerities.