Shloka 30

भृगुवंश-प्रस्तावना तथा पुलोमा–अग्नि-संवादः

Bhrigu Lineage Preface and the Pulomā–Agni Dialogue

Devanagari script

सौतिर्वाच तस्यैतद्‌ वचन श्रुत्वा सप्तार्चिदु:खितो5भवत्‌ । भीतो<नृताच्च शापाच्च भृगोरित्यब्रवीच्छनै:,उग्रश्रवाजी कहते हैं--राक्षसकी यह बात सुनकर ज्वालामयी सात जिहल्ठाओंवाले अग्निदेव बहुत दुःखी हुए। एक ओर वे झूठसे डरते थे तो दूसरी ओर भृगुके शापसे; अतः धीरेसे इस प्रकार बोले

Transliteration

sautir uvāca | tasyaitad vacanaṃ śrutvā saptārcir duḥkhito 'bhavat | bhīto 'nṛtāc ca śāpāc ca bhṛgor ity abravīc chanaiḥ ||

Translation

Ugraśravas (Sauti) said: Hearing those words, Agni—the seven-flamed one—became deeply distressed. He was afraid on two sides: of speaking falsehood, and of the curse of Bhṛgu. Therefore, in a low and cautious voice, he began to reply.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'सौति:', 'iast': 'sautiḥ', 'meaning': 'Ugraśravas, the bard

• son of Lomaharṣaṇa'}, {'term': 'उवाच', 'iast': 'uvāca', 'meaning': 'said'}, {'term': 'तस्य', 'iast': 'tasya', 'meaning': "of him/that (person)

• in this context, 'his/that' (the speaker just mentioned)"}, {'term': 'एतद् वचनम्', 'iast': 'etad vacanam', 'meaning': 'this statement, these words'}, {'term': 'श्रुत्वा', 'iast': 'śrutvā', 'meaning': 'having heard'}, {'term': 'सप्तार्चि:', 'iast': 'saptārciḥ', 'meaning': 'the seven-flamed one

• an epithet of Agni'}, {'term': 'दुःखित:', 'iast': 'duḥkhitaḥ', 'meaning': 'distressed, sorrowful'}, {'term': 'अभवत्', 'iast': 'abhavat', 'meaning': 'became'}, {'term': 'भीत:', 'iast': 'bhītaḥ', 'meaning': 'afraid'}, {'term': 'अनृत', 'iast': 'anṛta', 'meaning': 'falsehood, untruth'}, {'term': 'शाप', 'iast': 'śāpa', 'meaning': 'curse'}, {'term': 'भृगोः', 'iast': 'bhṛgoḥ', 'meaning': 'of Bhṛgu (the sage)'}, {'term': 'इति', 'iast': 'iti', 'meaning': 'thus (marking the thought/quotation)'}, {'term': 'अब्रवीत्', 'iast': 'abravīt', 'meaning': 'he spoke, he said'}, {'term': 'शनैः', 'iast': 'śanaiḥ', 'meaning': 'slowly, softly, in a low voice

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• उग्रश्रवाः (सौति)
• अग्निदेव (सप्तार्चि)
• भृगु (ऋषि)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic tension: fear of untruth (anṛta) versus fear of consequences (a sage’s curse). It implies that ethical speech is weighty, and that even powerful beings deliberate carefully when truth, duty, and danger collide.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sauti’s narration, Agni hears a troubling statement (from the immediately preceding context) and becomes distressed. Caught between the risk of lying and the risk of Bhṛgu’s curse, he chooses to respond cautiously and softly.