Shloka 38
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
हैमानीमानि जानीम: प्रतिबुद्धा: सम जागृूम । इह होतदुपादत्तं प्रेत्य स्पात् कटुकोदयम् । अप्रतिग्राह्ममेवैतत् प्रेत्पेह च सुखेप्सुना
haimānīmāni jānīmaḥ pratibuddhāḥ sama jāgṛmaḥ | iha hotadupādattaṃ pretya syāt kaṭukodayam | apratigrahyaṃ evaitat pretyeha ca sukhepsunā ||
“Kami tahu ini berisi emas di dalamnya. Kami sepenuhnya terjaga dan waspada; pengertian kami tidak meredup. Kami mengetahui dengan jelas bahwa emas tersembunyi di dalam buah-buah ini. Jika kami menerimanya sekarang, akibatnya akan masak menjadi pahit setelah kematian. Karena itu, bagi siapa pun yang menginginkan kebajikan dan kebahagiaan di dunia ini dan di alam sana, pemberian ini sama sekali tidak patut diterima.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even if a gift is materially valuable, it should be refused when it is ethically tainted or improperly offered; accepting such wealth brings a bitter karmic consequence, harming welfare in both this life and the next.
In the episode referenced, sages discern that seemingly ordinary fruits conceal gold. They declare themselves fully aware and refuse to accept them, warning that taking such a gift would lead to painful results after death; thus it is deemed ‘not acceptable’ for one seeking true happiness.