Shloka 44
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
(भत्रिरुवाच न जातु काम: कामनामुपभोगेन शाम्यति । हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते ।।
atrir uvāca—na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānām upabhogena śāmyati | haviṣā kṛṣṇavartmeva bhūya evābhivardhate || jagadagnir uvāca—pratigrahe saṃyamo vai tapo dhārayate dhruvam | tad dhanaṃ brāhmaṇasyeha lubhyamānasya visravet ||
ଅତ୍ରି କହିଲେ—ବିଷୟଭୋଗ କରିଲେ କାମନା କେବେ ଶାନ୍ତ ହୁଏନାହିଁ; ଘିଅର ଆହୁତି ପଡ଼ିଲେ ଯେପରି ଅଗ୍ନି ଅଧିକ ଜ୍ୱଳେ, ସେପରି ଏହା ଆଉ ବଢ଼େ। ଜମଦଗ୍ନି କହିଲେ—ପ୍ରତିଗ୍ରହ (ଦାନ ଗ୍ରହଣ) ନ କଲେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଭାବେ ସଂଯମକୁ ଧାରଣ କରି ତପସ୍ୟାକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରେ। ଏଠାରେ ତପସ୍ୟା ହିଁ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣର ସତ୍ୟ ଧନ; କିନ୍ତୁ ଯେ ଲୋକଧନ ପାଇଁ ଲୋଭ କରେ, ତାହାର ତପୋଧନ ଝରିଯାଇ ନଷ୍ଟ ହୁଏ।
विश्वामित्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Indulgence does not extinguish desire; it intensifies it, like fire growing when fed with ghee. Therefore, restraint—especially a brāhmaṇa’s restraint from accepting gifts and from greed—is presented as essential to preserve tapas, which is declared to be the brāhmaṇa’s true wealth.
Within a didactic sequence of teachings in Anuśāsana-parvan, sages’ voices are cited: Atri offers a moral analogy about desire, and Jagadagni follows with a rule of conduct for brāhmaṇas—warning that accepting gifts and craving worldly wealth undermines self-control and causes one’s accumulated austerity to dissipate.