Shloka 3.43.42

मायामृगदर्शनम् (The Vision of the Illusory Deer)

Devanagari script

समुत्थाने व तद्रूपं कर्तुकामं समीक्ष्य तम्।उत्स्मयित्वा तु भगवान्वातापिमिदमब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

samutthāne va tadrūpaṃ kartukāmaṃ samīkṣya tam | utsmayitvā tu bhagavān vātāpim idam abravīt ||

Translation

When he rose, the venerable one saw Vātāpi wishing to resume his own form; smiling, the blessed sage spoke to him as follows.

Context

When the venerable sage Agastya got up (after eating), he observed Vatapi wishing to turn into his real form. So smiling at him, he said:

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Vātāpi

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma is portrayed as calm mastery over deceit: the sage recognizes the hidden intent and responds without fear. Truth-seeing (satya-jñāna) precedes right action.

What is the narrative situation?

After consuming Vātāpi, Agastya observes him attempting to revert to his form; Agastya smiles, about to pronounce decisive words.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Composure and clarity: the sage’s smile signals inner steadiness and confident discernment in the face of deception.