Shloka 2

Sagara’s Aśvamedha Horse Lost; The Sixty-Thousand Sons Begin the Subterranean Search

Kapila Introduced

Devanagari script

अहं लोकहितार्थ वै पिबामि वरुणालयम्‌ । भवद्धिर्यदनुछ्ठेयं तच्छीच्रं संविधीयताम्‌,लोमशजी कहते हैं--राजन! समुद्रके तटपर जाकर मित्रावरुण-नन्दन भगवान्‌ अगस्त्यमुनि वहाँ एकत्र हुए देवताओं तथा समागत ऋषियोंसे बोले--“मैं लोकहितके लिये समुद्रका जल पी लेता हूँ। फिर आपलोगोंको जो कार्य करना हो उसे शीघ्र पूरा कर लें!

Transliteration

ahaṁ lokahitārthaṁ vai pibāmi varuṇālayam | bhavadbhir yad anuṣṭheyaṁ tac chīghraṁ saṁvidhīyatām ||

Translation

“Vì lợi ích của thế gian, ta sẽ uống cạn đại dương—nơi ngự của Varuṇa. Vậy nên, việc gì các ngươi cần làm, hãy mau chóng thu xếp cho xong!”

Word by Word

• {'ahaṁ': 'I', 'lokahitārtham': 'for the good/welfare of the world', 'vai': 'indeed, surely (emphatic particle)', 'pibāmi': 'I drink', 'varuṇālayam': 'the abode of Varuṇa

• the ocean/sea', 'bhavadbhiḥ': 'by you all

• by your lordships (honorific plural)', 'yat': 'whatever which', 'anuṣṭheyam': 'to be done, to be undertaken (duty/task)', 'tat': 'that', 'śīghram': 'quickly', 'saṁvidhīyatām': 'let it be arranged/accomplished

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa (narrator/speaker label in prompt)
• Agastya (implied by the episode context)
• Varuṇa
• Ocean/Sea (Varuṇālaya)
• Devas (implied by the prose context)
• Ṛṣis (implied by the prose context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights lokahita—acting for the welfare of the world—and the ethical urgency to complete one’s rightful duty promptly when conditions are made favorable by a benefactor’s sacrifice or effort.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Agastya-ocean episode, the sage declares he will drink the sea for the world’s benefit, and instructs the assembled beings to quickly carry out whatever task must be done while the opportunity is available.