Shloka 81

Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच विज्ञाय यातुधानीं तां कृत्यामृषिवधैषिणीम्‌ । अत्रि: क्षुधापरीतात्मा ततो वचनमत्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca vijñāya yātudhānīṃ tāṃ kṛtyām ṛṣivadhaiṣiṇīm | atriḥ kṣudhāparītātmā tato vacanam abravīt ||

Translation

ভীষ্ম বললেন—“রাজন! তার কথা শুনে মহর্ষি অত্রি বুঝলেন—এ এক যাতুধানী, ঋষিবধে উদ্যত কৃত্যা। তবু ক্ষুধায় অন্তর ব্যাকুল হয়ে অত্রি তখন এই বাক্য বললেন।”

Word by Word

• {'bhīṣma uvāca': 'Bhishma said', 'vijñāya': 'having discerned, having recognized clearly', 'yātudhānīm': 'a yātudhānī

• a malevolent demoness/witch-like being', 'tām': 'her, that (woman/being)', 'kṛtyām': 'a magically created destructive entity

• a sorcerous ‘sending’ meant to harm', 'ṛṣi-vadha-aiṣiṇīm': 'desiring the killing of sages (ṛṣi = sage

• aiṣiṇī = one who seeks/desires)', 'atriḥ': 'Atri (the sage)', 'kṣudhā-parīta-ātmā': 'whose mind/inner self was overwhelmed by hunger', 'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'vacanam': 'speech, words, statement', 'abravīt': 'said, spoke'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Atri
• yātudhānī
• kṛtyā
• ṛṣis (sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights viveka (discernment): Atri correctly identifies a hostile, sorcerous threat, yet his hunger shows how physical compulsion can weaken practical caution. It prepares the reader to reflect on how dharmic clarity must be supported by self-control and vigilance, especially when one is vulnerable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that the sage Atri recognizes a demoness-like being as a kṛtyā sent to kill sages. Despite this awareness, Atri is afflicted by hunger and proceeds to respond to her—setting up the next action/dialogue in the episode.