Shloka 17

भृगुवंश-प्रस्तावना तथा पुलोमा–अग्नि-संवादः

Bhrigu Lineage Preface and the Pulomā–Agni Dialogue

Devanagari script

अभ्यागतं तु तद्रक्ष: पुलोमा चारुदर्शना । न्यमन्त्रयत वन्येन फलमूलादिना तदा,सुन्दरी पुलोमाने उस राक्षसको अभ्यागत अतिथि मानकर वनके फल-मूल आदिसे उसका सत्कार करनेके लिये उसे न्योता दिया

Transliteration

abhyāgataṃ tu tad rakṣaḥ pulomā cārudarśanā | nyamantrayata vanyena phalamūlādinā tadā ||

Translation

Śaunaka dit : Alors Pulomā, belle à contempler, considéra ce rākṣasa comme un hôte arrivé et, en cet instant, l’invita à être honoré par des mets de la forêt—fruits, racines et autres semblables.

Word by Word

अभ्यागतम्arrived, come (as a guest)

तुbut/indeed

तत्that

रक्षःthe rākṣasa/demon

पुलोमाPulomā (name)

चारुदर्शनाbeautiful-looking (she whose appearance is lovely)

न्यमन्त्रयत्invited/entertained (as a guest)

वन्येनwith forest-produce/wild fare

फलमूलादिनाwith fruits, roots, etc.

तदाthen/at that time

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

श

शौनक (Śaunaka)

प

पुलोमा (Pulomā)

र

राक्षस (rākṣasa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic norm of honoring an arrived guest (abhyāgata/atithi) with whatever one has—here, simple forest offerings—showing that hospitality is treated as a moral duty even under uncertainty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Pulomā receives a rākṣasa who has come to her and, treating him as an arriving guest, invites him to accept forest food such as fruits and roots.