Shloka 8
Āpava
Vasiṣṭha) and the Vasus: the Kāmadhenu Theft and the Curse (Śaṃtanu–Gaṅgā Saṃvāda
सतां सकाशे तु वृतः प्रपात- स्ते संगता गुणवन्तस्तु सर्वे । शक्राच्च लब्धो हि वरो मयैष पतिष्यता भूमितल नरेन्द्र,नरेन्द्र! मैं जब इस पृथ्वीतलपर गिरनेवाला था, उस समय मैंने इन्द्रसे यह वर माँगा था कि मैं साधु पुरुषोंके समीप गिरूँ। वह वर मुझे मिला, जिसके कारण आप सब सदगुणी संतोंका संग प्राप्त हुआ
satāṃ sakāśe tu vṛtaḥ prapātas te saṃgatā guṇavantastu sarve | śakrāc ca labdho hi varo mayaiṣa patiṣyatā bhūmitala nareṃdra, nareṃdra ||
大王啊，当我将要坠落大地之时，我所选择的恩赐是：愿我的坠落发生在贤德之人面前。因陀罗已将此愿赐予我；因此我得以来到诸位之中——与诸位具足善德的圣贤同处一会。
अष्टक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical value of satsanga—seeking the company of the virtuous. Even in adversity (a ‘fall’), one should aspire to be near the good, because association with the righteous becomes a form of protection and moral uplift.
Aṣṭaka addresses a king and explains that when he was about to fall to the earth, he asked Indra (Śakra) for a boon to fall in the presence of saintly, virtuous people. That boon has borne fruit now, as he has come into the company of such good persons.