Shloka 103
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
शुन:सख (संन्यासी) ने कहा--यातुधानी! इन ऋषियोंने जिस प्रकार अपना नाम बताया है; उस तरह मैं नहीं बता सकता। तू मेरा नाम शुन:सख समझ ।। यातुधान्युवाच नामनैरुक्तमेतत् ते वाक््यं संदिग्धया गिरा | तस्मात् पुनरिदानी त्वं ब्रूहि यन्नाम ते द्विज,यातुधानी बोली--विप्रवर! आपने संदिग्धवाणीमें अपना नाम बताया है। अत: अब फिर स्पष्टरूपसे अपने नामकी व्याख्या कीजिये
śunaḥsakha (saṃnyāsī) uvāca— yātudhāni! ime ṛṣayaḥ yathā svanāma vyājahruḥ, tathāhaṃ na śaknomi vaktum. tvaṃ mama nāma śunaḥsakham iti manyasva. yātudhāny uvāca— nāmnā niruktam etat te vākyaṃ saṃdigdhayā girā; tasmāt punar idānīṃ tvaṃ brūhi yan nāma te, dvija.
Śunaḥsakha, the renunciant, said: “O Yātudhānī! These sages have declared their names in a certain manner; I cannot declare mine in that same way. Take my name to be ‘Śunaḥsakha.’” Yātudhānī replied: “Your statement about your name has been spoken in doubtful words. Therefore, O brāhmaṇa, explain again—clearly—what your name truly is.”
शुनःसख उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights ethical concern for clarity and truth in speech: a name (and by extension one’s identity or intent) should not be conveyed through ambiguous words when the context demands straightforwardness.
A renunciant named Śunaḥsakha addresses a demoness, saying he cannot state his name in the same manner as the sages did and asks her to accept his name as ‘Śunaḥsakha.’ The demoness challenges him, saying his words are doubtful, and demands a clearer explanation of his name.