Shloka 135
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
मया हान्तर्हितानीह बिसानीमानि पश्यत । परीक्षार्थ भगवतां कृतमेवं॑ मयानघा:,मैंने उन मृणालोंको यहाँ छिपा दिया था। देखिये, ये रहे आपके मृणाल। निष्पाप मुनियो! मैंने आपलोगोंकी परीक्षाके लिये ही ऐसा किया था
mayā hāntarhitānīha bisānīmāni paśyata | parīkṣārthaṁ bhagavatāṁ kṛtam evaṁ mayānaghāḥ ||
મેં આ મૃણાલો અહીં છુપાવી રાખ્યા હતા; જુઓ, આ રહ્યા. નિષ્પાપ મુનિઓ! આપની પરીક્ષા માટે જ મેં આવું કર્યું હતું।
शुन:सख उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical discernment: an act that appears deceptive (hiding the lotus-stalks) is framed as a deliberate test of the sages’ conduct, emphasizing examination of virtue, restraint, and intention in dharmic life.
Śunaḥsakha reveals that he had concealed the lotus-stalks and now returns them, explaining to the sinless sages that the concealment was done specifically to test them.