Shloka 80
Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ
King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt
एवमुक्ता वरं वव्रे गात्रसौगन्ध्यमुत्तमम् । स चास्यै भगवान् प्रादान्मनस:काडूक्षितं भुवि,महर्षिके ऐसा कहनेपर सत्यवतीने अपने शरीरमें उत्तम सुमन होनेका वरदान माँगा। भगवान् पराशरने इस भूतलपर उसे वह मनोवांछित वर दे दिया
evaṃ uktā varaṃ vavre gātra-saugandhyam uttamam | sa cāsyai bhagavān prādān manasaḥ kāṅkṣitaṃ bhuvi ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Thus addressed, she chose as her boon the finest fragrance for her body. And the revered sage granted her, upon this earth, the very gift her heart desired—an exquisite bodily perfume. In the narrative’s ethical frame, the episode highlights how a boon, when sought without harm to others, is bestowed as a legitimate fulfillment of personal wish, while also foreshadowing the extraordinary destiny that will unfold from this encounter.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that a boon is properly sought and granted when it aligns with personal well-being and does not entail harm; it also illustrates the potency of a sage’s blessing and how seemingly small wishes can signal a larger destiny.
After being addressed, Satyavatī requests the boon of an excellent bodily fragrance, and the sage Parāśara grants her the heart’s desired gift on earth.