Shloka 293
अध्याय २०८ — इन्द्रियनिग्रहः, सत्याहिंसात्मकवाक्, कर्मफलविवेकः
Restraint of the Senses, Non-harming Truthful Speech, and Discernment of Karmic Consequence
एते ब्रह्मर्षयो नित्यमास्थिता दक्षिणां दिशम् उन्मुच
ete brahmarṣayo nityam āsthitā dakṣiṇāṁ diśam—unmuca, vimuca, balavān, svastyātreya, pramuca, idhmavāha, dṛḍhatāpūrvakaṁ uttama-vrata-pālanakārī mitrāvaruṇayoḥ pratāpī putro bhagavān agastya—ete brahmarṣayaḥ sadā dakṣiṇa-diśi vasanti.
毗湿摩曰：“此诸梵仙恒居南方——乌恩穆迦（Unmucha）、毗穆迦（Vimucha）、大力者婆罗梵（Balavān）、斯瓦斯提阿特雷耶（Svastyātreya）、普罗穆迦（Pramucha）、伊德摩婆诃（Idhmavāha）、德里达塔普尔瓦迦（Dṛḍhatāpūrvaka）；并有光辉的圣者阿伽斯提耶（Agastya），为密多罗（Mitra）与伐楼那（Varuṇa）之雄子，坚守至上誓戒。此诸梵仙常住南方。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical authority of great seers: their power is grounded in steadfast austerity and faithful observance of vows (vrata). It also frames dharma as supported by exemplary lives and disciplined conduct, not merely by theory.
In Bhishma’s instruction, a catalogue of Brahmarishis is given, locating them in the southern quarter. Agastya is singled out with his lineage (son of Mitra and Varuṇa) and his strict vow-observance, reinforcing the sanctity and spiritual prominence of the southern region.