Shloka 5
Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve
Gandharva Encounter
स्कन्द उवाच हव्यं कव्यं च यत्किंचिद् द्विजानां मन्त्रसंस्तुतम् । होष्यन्त्यग्नौ सदा देवि स्वाहेत्युक्त्वा समुद्धूतम्,स्कन्द बोले--देवि! आजसे सन्मार्गपर चलने-वाले सदाचारी धर्मात्मा मनुष्य देवताओं तथा पितरोंके लिये हव्य और कव्यके रूपमें उठाकर ब्राह्मणोंद्वारा उच्चारित वेदमन्त्रोंके साथ अग्निमें जो कुछ आहुति देंगे, वह सब स्वाहाका नाम लेकर ही अर्पण करेंगे। शोभने! इस प्रकार तुम्हारे साथ निरन्तर अग्निदेवका निवास बना रहेगा
skanda uvāca: havyaṃ kavyaṃ ca yat kiṃcid dvijānāṃ mantrasaṃstutam | hoṣyanty agnau sadā devi svāhety uktvā samuddhūtam ||
斯坎达说道：“女神啊，凡诸供献——或为诸天之哈维亚（havya），或为祖灵之卡维亚（kavya）——经由两生者（婆罗门）所诵吠陀真言赞颂而净化者，众人必常倾注于火中，举献之时口诵‘svāhā’。由此正行，阿耆尼的临在将恒常安立于你身旁。”
स्कन्द उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual action becomes dharmic and effective when performed in the proper Vedic manner: offerings meant for gods (havya) and ancestors (kavya) should be made into Agni with mantra-recitation by qualified priests and with the consecrating utterance ‘svāhā’. This preserves sacred order and sustains divine presence.
Skanda instructs the Goddess about the correct form of sacrificial offering: whatever is offered—whether to devas or pitṛs—should be lifted and poured into the fire while saying ‘svāhā’, accompanied by Vedic mantras recited by dvijas. The statement links righteous ritual practice with the continual abiding of Agni.