Shloka 145
The Origin of the Daṇḍaka Forest and Rāma’s Dharma-Judgment
Vulture vs. Owl
अभिवादयितुं चक्रे सोऽगस्त्यमृषिसत्तमम् । अभिवाद्य मुनिश्रेष्ठंस्तांश्च सर्वांस्तपोधिकान्
abhivādayituṃ cakre so'gastyamṛṣisattamam | abhivādya muniśreṣṭhaṃstāṃśca sarvāṃstapodhikān
Затем он воздал почтительные поклоны Агастье, наилучшему из мудрецов; и, поклонившись тому высшему муни, он также почтил всех прочих подвижников, богатых тапасом.
Narrator (contextual; the verse describes an action rather than direct speech)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: forest
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सोऽगस्त्य- = सः + अगस्त्य-; मुनिश्रेष्ठंस्तान् = मुनिश्रेष्ठान् + तान् (न् + त् संधि); तांश्च = तान् + च; सर्वांस्तपोधिकान् = सर्वान् + तपोधिकान् (न् + त् संधि)।
FAQs
The verse describes a person formally offering salutations—first to Sage Agastya, then to the other eminent ascetics distinguished by their austerities.
It highlights the dharmic norm of showing reverence to realized teachers and ascetics; honoring tapasvins is presented as a valued social and spiritual conduct.
Within Purāṇic tradition, Agastya is revered as a highly accomplished rishi associated with spiritual authority and tapas; the epithet underscores his exceptional status among sages in the narrative context.