Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 27
आपस्तंब उवाच । श्रमेण महताविष्टाः कैवर्त्ता दुःखजीविनः । मम मूल्यं प्रयच्छेति यद्योग्यं मन्यसे नृप
āpastaṃba uvāca | śrameṇa mahatāviṣṭāḥ kaivarttā duḥkhajīvinaḥ | mama mūlyaṃ prayaccheti yadyogyaṃ manyase nṛpa
อาปัสตัมพะกล่าวว่า: “ชาวประมงเหล่านี้ถูกความเหน็ดเหนื่อยใหญ่หลวงครอบงำ ดำรงชีพด้วยทุกข์ยาก จึงกล่าวว่า ‘จงจ่ายค่าตัวของข้า’ ข้าแต่นฤปะ หากพระองค์เห็นว่าสมควร ก็โปรดประทานค่าตอบแทนนั้นเถิด”
Āpastamba
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: (Implied) internal audience
Scene: Āpastamba, serene yet firm, gestures toward weary fishermen with nets and weathered faces; he speaks to the king about their toil and rightful payment.
FAQs
Dharma includes justice and compassion—those burdened by hardship deserve fair recompense, especially when a sage intercedes.
Prabhāsa-kṣetra; the narrative frames ethical giving and social responsibility as part of the tīrtha’s sanctifying power.
A form of dāna/compensation is requested—payment deemed fitting for the suffering fisherfolk.