Mahabharata · 1.215.4–5
॥
Devanāgarī
एवम् उक्तः स भगवान् अब्रवीत् ताव् उभौ ततः ॥
भाषमाणौ तदा वीरौ किम् अन्नं क्रियताम् इति ॥
नाहम् अन्नं बुभुक्षे वै पावकं मां निबोधतम् ॥
यदन्नम् अनुरूपं मे तद् युवां संप्रयच्छतम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
evam uktaḥ sa bhagavān abravīt tāv ubhau tataḥ ||
bhāṣamāṇau tadā vīrau kim annaṃ kriyatām iti ||
nāham annaṃ bubhukṣe vai pāvakaṃ māṃ nibodhatam ||
yadannam anurūpaṃ me tad yuvāṃ saṃprayacchatam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एवम् उक्तः सः भगवान् अब्रवीत् तौ उभौ ततःevam uktaḥ saḥ bhagavān abravīt tau ubhau tataḥthus questioned, that lord then said to the two of them,
भाषमाणौ तदा वीरौ किम् अन्नं क्रियताम् इतिbhāṣamāṇau tadā vīrau kim annaṃ kriyatām itiwhen the heroes had said, 'What food shall be prepared?':
न अहम् अन्नं बुभुक्षे वै पावकं मां निबोधतna aham annaṃ bubhukṣe vai pāvakaṃ māṃ nibodhata'It is not [ordinary] food that I crave; know me as Pavaka [fire];
यत् अन्नम् अनुरूपं मे तत् युवां संप्रयच्छतम्yat annam anurūpaṃ me tat yuvāṃ saṃprayacchatamgrant me the food that befits me;
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ताव्tāvoriginal form "tāv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाहम्nāhamoriginal form "nāham", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
निबोधतम्nibodhatamoriginal form "nibodhatam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यदन्नम्yadannamoriginal form "yadannam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तद्tadoriginal form "tad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Agni said: "Thus questioned, that lord said to the two of them: 'It is not ordinary food that I crave; know me as Pavaka [fire]; grant me the food that befits me.'"
Version
62b47fcf5ef8 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the guest reveals his divine nature. It is significant that the brahmin turns out to be Agni: having tested their hospitality, the deity now reveals himself. Beneath a humble appearance the divine is often concealed, and one who receives a guest sometimes receives the god himself. The scripture shows Agni's revelation here; and his need is not a human one, but a fiery one.