Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
ऋषय ऊचु: इष्टमेतद् द्विजातीनां योड्यं ते शपथ: कृत: । त्वया कृतं बिसस्तैन्यं सर्वेषां न: शुन:सख
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ—iṣṭam etad dvijātīnāṃ yadyaṃ te śapathaḥ kṛtaḥ | tvayā kṛtaṃ bisastainyaṃ sarveṣāṃ naḥ śunaḥsakha ||
Die Weisen sprachen: „O Śunaḥsakha, der Eid, den du abgelegt hast, ist genau das, was den Dvija gefällt. Daher scheint es, dass der Diebstahl unserer Lotus-Stängel von dir begangen wurde.“
शुन:सख उवाच
The verse highlights how vows and pious-sounding statements can be used as social signals; ethical discernment requires looking beyond the form of an oath to the intent and likelihood of wrongdoing.
A group of sages address Śunaḥsakha and infer from the nature of his oath—something agreeable to Brahmins—that he is likely the one who stole their lotus-stalks, thus openly accusing him.