Shloka 122
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
गौतम उवाच अधीत्य वेदांस्त्यजतु त्रीनग्नीनपविध्यतु । विक्रीणातु तथा सोम॑ बिसस्तैन्यं करोति यः
gautama uvāca | adhītya vedāṁs tyajatu trīn agnīn apavidhyatu | vikrīṇātu tathā somaṁ bisastainyaṁ karoti yaḥ |
Wika ni Gautama: “Ang sinumang magnakaw ng tangkay/hibla ng lotus (mṛṇāla/bisa) ay ituring na nagkakasala na parang nag-aral ng mga Veda upang talikuran lamang ang mga ito; parang nagtatapon ng tatlong banal na apoy; at parang nagbebenta ng Soma. Kahit tila munting pagnanakaw, itinuturing itong mabigat na paglabag sa dharma, na katumbas ng pagtakwil sa banal na kaalaman at sa mga tungkuling ritwal.”
गौतम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that theft—even of something seemingly minor like lotus-stalks—is a serious violation of dharma, morally comparable to repudiating Vedic learning, abandoning the sacred household fires, and profaning sacrifice by selling Soma.
In Gautama’s discourse on conduct and moral consequences, he classifies the act of stealing lotus-stalks as entailing grave ritual-ethical demerit, using strong comparisons to well-known major transgressions involving Veda, sacred fires, and Soma.