Shloka 36

Kaurava Court Hears of the Pāṇḍavas’ Forest Hardship (वैचित्रवीर्यवंशीयस्य राज्ञः करुणाविचारः)

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेय उवाच संस्पृशन्निव सर्वास्ता: शिखाभि: काउचनप्रभा: । पश्यमाननश्च मुमुदे गार्हपत्यं समाश्रित:,मार्कण्डेयजी कहते हैं--राजन! ऐसा निश्चय करके अग्निदेवने गार्हपत्य अग्निका आश्रय लिया और अपनी लपटोंसे स्वर्गकी-सी कान्तिवाली उन ऋषि-पत्नियोंका स्पर्श तथा दर्शन-सा करते हुए वे बड़ी प्रसन्नताका अनुभव करने लगे

Transliteration

Mārkaṇḍeya uvāca saṁspṛśann iva sarvāstāḥ śikhābhiḥ kāñcanaprabhāḥ | paśyamānaś ca mumude gārhapatyaṁ samāśritaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya nói: Đã quyết định như vậy, Agni nương tựa nơi ngọn lửa Gārhapatya. Với những ngọn lửa rực sáng như vàng, Ngài dường như chạm đến và nhìn thấy tất cả các phu nhân của các bậc hiền sĩ; và trong sự tiếp xúc cùng thị kiến được giữ trong khuôn phép ấy, Ngài cảm nhận niềm hoan hỷ lớn lao.

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Markandeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• संस्पृशन्: touching
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+स्पृश्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• शिखाभिः: with flames
• शिखाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• काञ्चनप्रभाः: golden-radiant
• काञ्चनप्रभाः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चनप्रभा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• पश्यमानः: seeing
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्यत् (दृश्)
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• मुमुदे: rejoiced
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• गार्हपत्यम्: the Gārhapatya (household) fire
• गार्हपत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हपत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समाश्रितः: having resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+श्रि
• Form: Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Agni (Agni-deva)
• Gārhapatya fire
• ṛṣi-patnīḥ (wives of sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic containment of desire: even when attraction arises, it should be regulated through lawful, ritually sanctioned boundaries (symbolized by Agni’s taking refuge in the Gārhapatya fire) rather than pursued as a breach of moral order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Agni, after making a determination, enters/abides in the household sacred fire (Gārhapatya). With golden flames he ‘as if’ touches and beholds the sages’ wives, and this constrained, indirect contact/vision brings him joy.