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:,भगवान् ब्रह्माजीने जो इसे वर दिया था, वह प्रजाजनोंके लिये दुःखका कारण बन गया। वह नराधम ब्राह्मणोंके साथ अधर्मयुक्त बर्ताव कर रहा है
prāyacchata varaṃ devaḥ prajānāṃ duḥkha-kāraṇam | dvijeṣv adharma-yuktāni sa karoti narādhamaḥ ||
Agastya berkata: “Walaupun seorang dewa pernah mengurniakan kepadanya suatu anugerah, dia telah menjadi punca penderitaan bagi rakyat. Lelaki hina itu kini berkelakuan terhadap para Brahmin dengan perbuatan yang bersatu dengan ketidakbenaran (adharma).”
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.