Shloka 61
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
वसिष्ठ उवाच नैतस्थेह यथास्माकमग्निहोत्रमनिर्ठठतम् । सायं प्रातश्न होतव्यं तेन पीवाउ्छुना सह
Vasiṣṭha uvāca: na etat stheha yathāsmākam agnihotram aniṣṭhitam | sāyaṃ prātaś ca hotavyaṃ tena pīvā ucchunā saha ||
বসিষ্ঠে ক’লে—“আমাৰ দৰে ইয়াৰ এই চিন্তা নাই যে আজি অগ্নিহোত্ৰ অনুষ্টিত নহ’ল, আৰু প্ৰাতে-সায়ে হোম কৰাটো আবশ্যক। সেইবাবেই কুকুৰৰ সঙ্গতে থাকি ই ভালকৈ পুষ্ট হৈ উঠিছে।”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts the conscientious performance of daily Vedic duties (Agnihotra at dawn and dusk) with a life of negligence and indulgence; ethical steadiness is shown through fidelity to prescribed responsibilities rather than comfort-seeking.
Vasiṣṭha remarks that someone lacks the anxiety felt by disciplined practitioners when a daily rite is missed; instead, by associating with a dog and living without such obligations, he has become well-fed and complacent.