Shloka 21

Devanagari script

प्रजाभि: सह संगम्य हानुशोचन्ति नित्यश: । अन्निहोत्राणि सायाह्ले न चाहूयन्त सर्वश:

Transliteration

prajābhiḥ saha saṅgamya hānuśocanti nityaśaḥ | agnihotrāṇi sāyāhle na cāhūyante sarvaśaḥ ||

Translation

持国王说道：“他们与百姓聚集一处，终日悲叹不已。到了傍晚，阿耆尼火供（Agnihotra）之仪也未能在各处如法召请并施行。”

Word by Word

• प्रजाभिः: with the subjects/people
• प्रजाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• सह: together/with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• संगम्य: having met/assembled
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + गम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• हा: alas!
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा

• अनुशोचन्ति: they lament/keep grieving
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + शुच्
• Form: Lat (Present Indicative), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• नित्यशः: always/constantly
• नित्यशः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशस्

• अग्निहोत्राणि: Agnihotra rites/fire-offerings
• अग्निहोत्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निहोत्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• सायाह्ने: in the evening
• सायाह्ने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायाह्न
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• आहूयन्ते: are invoked/called (performed by invocation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + हु
• Form: Lat (Present Indicative), Third, Plural, Atmanepada (passive sense)

• सर्वशः: altogether/in every way
• सर्वशः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशस्

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• prajā (subjects/people)
• Agnihotra (Vedic fire-rite)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When society is shaken by fear and wrongdoing, both public morale and sacred duties decline; the neglect of daily rites like Agnihotra signals a breakdown of dharma and the king’s responsibility to uphold order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra reports signs of distress in the realm: people assemble and mourn continually, and even the regular evening Agnihotra rituals are not being properly invoked or carried out, indicating widespread disruption.