Shloka 17

Devanagari script

कालागुरुप्रभृतिभिरर्गन्धै श्चोच्चावचैस्तथा । समवच्छाद्य गाज्ेयं सम्प्रज्वाल्य हुताशनम्‌

Transliteration

kālāgurūprabhṛtibhir gandhaiś coccāvacais tathā | samavacchādya gājyena saṃprajvālya hutāśanam ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana nói: Họ phủ kín bằng bơ tinh luyện (ghee) và các hương liệu khác nhau—như trầm lô hội đen (kālāguru) cùng những thứ hương thơm thường và quý—rồi châm lửa, nhóm ngọn hỏa thần để chuẩn bị cho nghi lễ đã định.

Word by Word

• काला: with aloeswood (kālāguru)
• काला: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अगुरु: with agaru (fragrant wood)
• अगुरु: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगुरु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रभृतिभिः: beginning with, etc.
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति

• गन्धैः: with fragrances/perfumes
• गन्धैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• उच्चावचैः: various (high and low), diverse
• उच्चावचैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्चावच
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: thus, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• समवच्छाद्य: having completely covered/overlaid
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+अव+छद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• गाज्यम्: ghee (clarified butter)
• गाज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (आज्य)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सम्प्रज्वाल्य: having fully kindled
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्र+ज्वल्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• हुताशनम्: fire (the eater of oblations)
• हुताशनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुताशन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• hutāśana (fire)
• ghee (gājya/ghṛta)
• kālāguru (black aloe-wood)
• fragrant substances (gandha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conscientiousness in ritual action: offerings are prepared with care and purity (ghee and perfumes), and the fire—central to Vedic rites—is kindled properly. Ethical weight is placed on performing prescribed duties with reverence rather than negligence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes a rite in progress: the relevant materials are coated with ghee and scented substances (including black aloe-wood), and then the sacrificial/funerary fire is kindled, indicating the commencement or continuation of a solemn ceremonial act.