Shloka 23

Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu

Gṛhastha-Vrata

Devanagari script

ततो<सस्‍्य वितते यज्ञे नष्टो5 भूद्धव्यवाहन: । ततः सुदुःखितो राजा वाक्यमाह द्विजांस्तदा

Transliteration

tato 'sya vitate yajñe naṣṭo 'bhūd dhavyavāhanaḥ | tataḥ suduḥkhito rājā vākyam āha dvijān tadā ||

Translation

Rồi khi lễ tế được bày biện và cử hành đúng phép, Havyavāhana (Agni, Đấng mang lễ vật) bỗng biến mất khỏi đàn tế. Nhà vua vô cùng đau khổ, liền lúc ấy cất lời nói với các vị Bà-la-môn—

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अस्य: of him/of this (king)
• अस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• वितते: when (it was) spread/extended; in the ongoing
• वितते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वितत
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• यज्ञे: in the sacrifice
• यज्ञे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• नष्टः: vanished/disappeared
• नष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अभूत्: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: aorist (luṅ), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• हव्यवाहनः: Agni (the carrier of oblations)
• हव्यवाहनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्यवाहन
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• सुदुःखितः: very sorrowful
• सुदुःखितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदुःखित
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• वाक्यम्: a word/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• आह: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: perfect (liṭ), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• द्विजान्: to the Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• तदा: at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Havyavāhana (Agni)
• the king (rājā)
• dvijas (Brahmins)
• yajña (sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A sacrifice depends not only on correct external procedure but also on inner rectitude and divine acceptance; when Agni withdraws, the proper response is self-examination and seeking guidance from qualified Brahmins rather than pride or coercion.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the king’s ongoing yajña, Agni (Havyavāhana), the essential carrier of offerings, disappears—indicating disruption or displeasure—so the king becomes deeply distressed and turns to the assembled Brahmins to ask what should be done.