Shloka 51
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
इत्युक्तः स तु भृत्यैस्तैर्वषादर्भिश्ुकोप ह । तेषां वै प्रतिकर्तु च सर्वेषामगमद् गृहम्
ity uktaḥ sa tu bhṛtyais tair vṛṣādarbhir mahā-kopaḥ | teṣāṃ vai pratikartuṃ ca sarveṣām agamad gṛham ||
Bhīṣma disse: “Assim interpelado por seus servos, o rei Vṛṣādarbhī foi tomado por grande ira. Decidido a retaliar contra todos aqueles sábios pela afronta, retornou à sua residência, a capital, ruminando vingança.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger and the urge to retaliate arise from perceived insult, especially when directed toward revered sages. In the ethical frame of the Anuśāsana Parva, it implicitly warns that a ruler’s impulsive wrath and revenge-mindedness can lead to adharma and further harm.
After being told something by his attendants, King Vṛṣādarbhī becomes extremely angry. He decides to repay the sages’ (implied Saptarṣis’) perceived disrespect and returns to his residence/capital with the intention of taking retaliatory action.