Shloka 31
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
ऋषय ऊचु: राजन प्रतिग्रहो राज्ञां मध्वास्वादो विषोपम: । तज्जानमान: कस्मात् त्वं कुरुषे न: प्रलोभनम्,ऋषि बोले--राजन्! राजाका दिया हुआ दान ऊपरसे मधुके समान मीठा जान पड़ता है, परंतु परिणाममें विषके समान भयंकर हो जाता है। इस बातको जानते हुए भी आप क्यों हमें प्रलोभनमें डाल रहे हैं
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ—rājan pratigraho rājñāṃ madhv-āsvādo viṣopamaḥ | taj jānānaḥ kasmāt tvaṃ kuruṣe naḥ pralobhanam ||
The sages said: “O King, accepting gifts from kings tastes sweet like honey at first, yet in its outcome it becomes dreadful like poison. Knowing this, why do you still try to entice us into temptation?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that receiving gifts from powerful rulers can appear beneficial and pleasant at first, but may bind the recipient through obligation, loss of independence, or moral compromise—hence it is ‘honey in taste, poison in result.’
A group of sages address a king who is offering or urging them to accept royal gifts. They caution him that such acceptance is spiritually and ethically risky, and question why he is trying to lure them despite knowing the danger.