Shloka 3
अगस्त्यस्य वित्तयाचनं तथा इल्वलोपभिक्षणनिर्णयः
Agastya’s request for wealth and the decision to seek resources from Ilvala
आसीद्दा कि प्रभावश्लू स दैत्यो मानवान्तक: । किमर्थ चोदितो मन्युरगस्त्यस्य महात्मन:,“मनुष्योंका विनाश करनेवाले उस दैत्यका प्रभाव कैसा था? और महात्मा अगस्त्यजीके मनमें क्रोधका उदय कैसे हुआ”?
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: āsīd dā kila prabhāvaślū sa daityo mānavāntakaḥ | kimarthaṁ codito manyur Agastyasya mahātmanaḥ ||
毗湿摩波耶那说道：“确有其事：往昔有一位名为摩那瓦安塔迦（Mānavāntaka）的代底耶，因其可怖威力而闻名，并以毁灭人类为业。他的力量究竟如何？又因何缘故，大心的圣者阿迦斯底耶（Agastya）心中生起了忿怒？”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical inquiry: destructive power used against innocents (humans) invites righteous intervention, and even a great sage’s anger is presented as something to be examined for its cause and moral grounding.
Vaiśampāyana introduces a past episode about a powerful Daitya called Mānavāntaka and sets up the story by asking two guiding questions—how formidable the Daitya was and what provoked the sage Agastya’s wrath.