Shloka 85
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
वसिष्ठ बोले--मेरा नाम वसिष्ठ है, सबसे श्रेष्ठ होनेके कारण लोग मुझे वरिष्ठ भी कहते हैं। मैं गृहस्थ-आश्रममें वास करता हूँ; अतः वसिष्ठता (ऐश्वर्य-सम्पत्ति) और वासके कारण तुम मुझे वसिष्ठ समझो ।।
vasiṣṭha uvāca—mama nāma vasiṣṭhaḥ; sarvaśreṣṭhatvāt lokā māṃ variṣṭham api vadanti. ahaṃ gṛhasthāśrame vasāmi; ato vasiṣṭhatāyāḥ (aiśvarya-sampatteḥ) vāsāc ca tvaṃ māṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ vijānīhi. ||
yātudhānī uvāca—mune! tvayā svanāmnaḥ kṛtā niruktiḥ; tasyā api akṣarāṇāṃ vyāhāraḥ duṣkaraḥ. ahaṃ etan nāma dhārayituṃ na śaknomi. gaccha, padminīṃ (taḍāgaṃ) praviśa. ||
Sinabi ni Vasiṣṭha: “Ang aking pangalan ay Vasiṣṭha. Sapagkat ako’y itinuturing na pinakamahusay, tinatawag din ako ng mga tao na Variṣṭha. Namumuhay ako sa yugto ng buhay na pangmaybahay; kaya, dahil sa ‘vasiṣṭhatā’—kasaganaan at kahusayan—at dahil sa paninirahan (vāsa), unawain mong ako’y Vasiṣṭha.” Sinabi ni Yātudhānī: “Muni! Ang paliwanag mo sa pinagmulan ng iyong pangalan ay gayong kahit ang mga pantig nito’y mahirap bigkasin. Hindi ko kayang tandaan ang pangalang ito. Humayo ka—pumasok ka sa lawa ng lotus.”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how a name can be interpreted through qualities and conduct: Vasiṣṭha links his identity to excellence (variṣṭhatva) and to the dharmic stability of the householder stage, suggesting that social roles and virtues can ground one’s reputation and ‘name’.
Vasiṣṭha explains the meaning of his name through wordplay and self-description. The demoness Yātudhānī responds dismissively, saying the explanation is too difficult even to pronounce or remember, and orders him to go and enter a lotus-pond.