Shloka 20
Dhūpa–Dīpa–Bali Phala Praśna; Nahūṣa–Agastya–Bhṛgu Saṃvāda
Incense, Lamp, and Bali Offerings; the Nahūṣa Dialogue
प्रायच्छत वरं देव: प्रजानां दुःखकारणम् । द्विजेष्वधर्मयुक्तानि स करोति नराधम:
prāyacchata varaṃ devaḥ prajānāṃ duḥkha-kāraṇam | dvijeṣv adharma-yuktāni sa karoti narādhamaḥ ||
ദേവനായ ബ്രഹ്മൻ നൽകിയ വരം തന്നെയാണ് ജനങ്ങൾക്ക് ദുഃഖകാരണമാകിയത്. ആ നരാധമൻ ഇപ്പോൾ ദ്വിജന്മാരോടു (ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരോടു) അധർമ്മം ചേർന്ന പെരുമാറ്റം നടത്തുന്നു.
अगस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A boon or power is not inherently beneficial; when wielded without dharma it turns into a cause of public suffering. Ethical conduct—especially restraint and proper regard for the twice-born and social norms—is presented as the true measure of worth.
Agastya is describing a person who, despite having received a divine boon, has become oppressive to the people and is acting unrighteously toward Brahmins. The verse frames this as moral degeneration: divine favor has been misused, producing harm and adharma.