इन्द्रस्य पाण्डवैः समागमः
Indra’s Meeting with the Pāṇḍavas
अहं पूर्वमगस्त्येन क्रुद्धेन परमर्षिणा । शप्तो5पराधे कम्मिंश्चित् तस्यैषा निष्कृति: कृता,'पूर्वकालकी बात है, महर्षि अगस्त्यने किसी अपराधपर कुपित हो मुझे शाप दे दिया था; उसका तुम्हारे द्वारा निगाकरण हुआ। पाण्डव-नन्दन! मुझे पूर्वकालसे ही यह दुःख देखना बदा था। इसमें तुम्हारा किसी तरह भी कोई अपराध नहीं है”
ahaṃ pūrvam agastyena kruddhena paramarṣiṇā | śapto 'parādhe kammiṃścit tasya eṣā niṣkṛtiḥ kṛtā ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Long ago I was cursed by the great sage Agastya, who in anger pronounced a curse upon me because of some offence. That curse has now found its expiation—its remedy has been accomplished through you. O son of the Pāṇḍus, it was destined for me from former times to witness this sorrow; in this matter you bear no fault at all.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse frames suffering within karma and destiny: a past curse ripens in due time, and ethical clarity requires not misplacing blame—one may be an instrument in another’s expiation without being morally culpable.
Vaiśaṃpāyana explains that an earlier curse from the sage Agastya is now being worked out; the present sorrowful event is presented as the curse’s expiation, and the addressed Pāṇḍava is reassured that he is not at fault.