Shloka 343
Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa
Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results
अश्रृत्थस्थो3ग्निरित्येवमाह देवान् भृगूद्गवह | भुगुश्रेष्ठ॒ तदनन्तर देवराज इन्द्रके ऐरावतकी भाँति कोई विशालकाय गजराज देवताओंसे बोला--'अश्वत्थ अग्निरूप है'
aśvatthastho 'gnir ity evam āha devān bhṛgūdgvaha | bhṛguśreṣṭha tad-anantaraṃ devarāja indraḥ airāvataka iva viśālakāyo gajarājo devatābhyo 'bravīt— “aśvattho 'gnirūpaḥ” |
毗湿摩说道：“于是，婆利古族中最卓越的圣者婆利古对诸天说道：‘火就安住在阿湿婆他树中。’”其后，天帝因陀罗——威严如艾罗婆多那般的巨象之王——又对众神宣言并确认：“阿湿婆他树具有火的本性。”此段以神圣的同一来立义：受敬奉之树当如火一般被谨慎而恭敬地对待，寓示对活的神圣象征应持伦理自制与仪式警觉。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse conveys a sacral identification: the aśvattha is to be regarded as embodying fire (Agni). Ethically, it encourages reverence and careful conduct toward sacred natural forms, treating them as bearers of divine power rather than mere objects.
Bhīṣma recounts a statement attributed to the Bhṛgu tradition about fire being ‘in’ the aśvattha. Indra then addresses the gods, reinforcing the same identification—presented with the imagery of a mighty elephant-lord—thereby authoritatively confirming the sacred status of the aśvattha.