Mahabharata 1.215.1–2

Khāṇḍavadāha-parva (Agni's Request)1.215.1–2

1757 / 15823

Mahabharata · 1.215.1–2

॥

Devanāgarī

वैशंपायन उवाच
सो ऽब्रवीद् अर्जुनं चैव वासुदेवं च सात्वतम् ॥
लोकप्रवीरौ तिष्ठन्तौ खाण्डवस्य समीपतः ॥
ब्राह्मणो बहुभोक्तास्मि भुञ्जे ऽपरिमितं सदा ॥
भिक्षे वार्ष्णेयपार्थौ वाम् एकां तृप्तिं प्रयच्छताम् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
so 'bravīd arjunaṃ caiva vāsudevaṃ ca sātvatam ||
lokapravīrau tiṣṭhantau khāṇḍavasya samīpataḥ ||
brāhmaṇo bahubhoktāsmi bhuñje 'parimitaṃ sadā ||
bhikṣe vārṣṇeyapārthau vām ekāṃ tṛptiṃ prayacchatām ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

सः अब्रवीत् अर्जुनं च एव वासुदेवं च सात्वतम्saḥ abravīt arjunaṃ ca eva vāsudevaṃ ca sātvatamhe said to Arjuna and Vasudeva Satvata,

लोकप्रवीरौ तिष्ठन्तौ खाण्डवस्य समीपतःlokapravīrau tiṣṭhantau khāṇḍavasya samīpataḥthe two heroes of the world, standing near Khandava:

ब्राह्मणः बहुभोक्ता अस्मि भुञ्जे अपरिमितं सदाbrāhmaṇaḥ bahubhoktā asmi bhuñje aparimitaṃ sadā'I am a brahmin, a great eater; I always eat without measure;

भिक्षे वार्ष्णेयपार्थौ वाम् एकां तृप्तिं प्रयच्छताम्bhikṣe vārṣṇeyapārthau vām ekāṃ tṛptiṃ prayacchatāmI beg you, Varshneya and Partha, grant me one [complete] satisfaction';

वैशंपायनvaiśaṃpāyanaoriginal form "vaiśaṃpāyana", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

सोsooriginal form "so", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ऽब्रवीद्'bravīdoriginal form "'bravīd", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

चैवcaivaoriginal form "caiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ब्राह्मणोbrāhmaṇooriginal form "brāhmaṇo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

बहुभोक्तास्मिbahubhoktāsmioriginal form "bahubhoktāsmi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ऽपरिमितं'parimitaṃoriginal form "'parimitaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

Translation

Agni [in the guise of a brahmin] said: "He said to Arjuna and Vasudeva Satvata, the two heroes of the world, standing near Khandava: 'I am a brahmin, a great eater; I always eat without measure; I beg you, Varshneya and Partha, grant me one complete satisfaction.'"

Commentary

Here the deity, concealed as a brahmin, asks for satisfaction. It is significant that Agni comes as a supplicant: even a god presents himself as a humble guest, testing hospitality. Thus the Lord and the gods take on the form of the needy, in order to draw out devotion. The scripture here shows the arrival of Agni the petitioner; and his request will become the occasion for a great deed.

Version

19c37fdac37c · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC

Available inRUEN

PreviousVerse 1.214.32 NextVerse 1.215.3

Page between verses with