Shloka 19

Vyāsa’s Boon-Offer and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse in the Forest Assembly (आश्रमवासिक पर्व, अध्याय ३६)

Devanagari script

अथ वायु: समुद्भूतो दावाग्निरभवन्महान्‌ | ददाह तद्‌ वन सर्व परिगृह् समनन्‍्ततः

Transliteration

atha vāyuḥ samudbhūto dāvāgnir abhavan mahān | dadāha tad vana sarvaṃ parigṛhya samanantataḥ ||

Translation

那罗陀说道：随后狂风骤起，由那风势引发了一场巨大的林野大火。烈焰从四面八方包围树林，焚尽整座森林——此乃不祥之兆，昭示当时运与境遇转为逆境时，世间所倚赖的一切竟能在顷刻间被吞噬殆尽。

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• वायुः: wind
• वायुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समुद्भूतः: arisen, sprung up
• समुद्भूतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुद्भूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दावाग्निः: forest-fire
• दावाग्निः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दावाग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: became, arose
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• महान्: great, huge
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ददाह: burned, consumed
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वम्: entire, all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परिगृह्य: having surrounded/encircled
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि-ग्रह्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• समन्ततः: on all sides, all around
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• vāyu (wind)
• dāvāgni (forest-fire)
• vana (forest)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights impermanence: even a settled refuge like a forest-āśrama can be suddenly consumed. It supports the Mahābhārata’s ethical mood of vairāgya—non-attachment and readiness to meet change without clinging.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada narrates that a strong wind arises and a great wildfire breaks out, spreading in all directions and burning the entire forest, signaling a decisive and dangerous shift in the situation of those dwelling there.