Shloka 1

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत वनपर्वके अन्तर्गत तीर्थयात्रापर्वमें लोगशती र्थयात्राके प्रसंगमें अगस्त्योपाख्यानविषयक सत्तानबेवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ ९७ ॥ हि आम [चुके हि २ अष्टनवतितमोब् ध्याय: धन प्राप्त करनेके लिये अगस्त्यका श्रुतर्वा, ब्रध्नश्व और त्रसदस्यु आदिके पास जाना लोगश उवाच ततो जगाम कौरव्य सो5गस्त्यो भिक्षितुं वसु । श्रुतर्वाणं महीपालं यं वेदाभ्यधिकं नृपैः,लोमशजी कहते हैं--कुरुनन्दन! तदनन्तर अगस्त्यजी धन माँगनेके लिये महाराज श्रुतर्वाके पास गये, जिन्हें वे सब राजाओंसे अधिक वैभवसम्पन्न समझते थे

Transliteration

Lomaśa uvāca—tato jagāma kauravya so ’gastyo bhikṣituṁ vasu | śrutarvāṇaṁ mahīpālaṁ yaṁ vedābhyadhikaṁ nṛpaiḥ ||

Translation

Lomaśa said: “Then, O scion of the Kurus, that Agastya went to beg for wealth. He approached King Śrutarvā, a ruler of the earth, whom he regarded as surpassing other kings in riches.”

Word by Word

लोमशःLomasha (the sage)

उवाचsaid

ततःthen; thereafter

जगामwent

कौरव्यःthe Kaurava (descendant of Kuru)

सःhe

अगस्त्यःAgastya

भिक्षितुम्to beg; to request

वसुwealth; treasure

श्रुतर्वाणम्Shrutarvan (name of a king)

महीपालम्earth-protector; king

यम्whom

वेदाभ्यधिकम्surpassing (others) in wealth/splendour

नृपैःby/among kings

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lomaśa

Agastya

Kauravya (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Śrutarvā

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames wealth as ethically meaningful when it supports dharmic purposes: a sage may request resources not for personal indulgence but to uphold duties (such as hospitality, sacrifice, or aiding others), while a king’s greatness is tested by generosity and righteous stewardship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa continues the Agastya episode during the pilgrimage narrative: Agastya sets out to obtain wealth and goes to King Śrutarvā, reputed to be exceptionally affluent among rulers.