Nahusha and the Seven Sages

Verse 1 (13.156.1)

श्रुतं मे भरतश्रेष्ठ पुष्पधूपप्रदायिनाम् । फलं बलिविधाने च तद्भूयो वक्तुमर्हसि ॥

śrutaṃ me bharataśreṣṭha puṣpadhūpapradāyinām | phalaṃ balividhāne ca tadbhūyo vaktumarhasi

"I have heard, O best of the Bharatas, the fruit of those who give flowers and incense, and of the bali offering. Please tell me more of it."

Verse 2 (13.156.2)

धूपप्रदानस्य फलं प्रदीपस्य तथैव च । बलयश्च किमर्थं वै क्षिप्यन्ते गृहमेधिभिः ॥

dhūpapradānasya phalaṃ pradīpasya tathaiva ca | balayaśca kimarthaṃ vai kṣipyante gṛhamedhibhiḥ

"What is the fruit of the gift of incense, and likewise of the lamp? And why do householders cast out bali offerings?"

Verse 3 (13.156.3)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । नहुषस्य च संवादमगस्त्यस्य भृगोस्तथा ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | nahuṣasya ca saṃvādamagastyasya bhṛgostathā

On this they recount an ancient tale: the dialogue concerning Nahusha, and that of Agastya and Bhrigu.

Note on the text: Corrected भृगोस्तता → भृगोस्तथा (misprint in Wikisource; त for थ; CE bhṛgos tathā).

Verse 4 (13.156.4)

नहुषो हि महाराज राजर्षिः सुमहातपाः । देवराज्यमनुप्राप्तः सुकृतेनेह कर्मणा ॥

nahuṣo hi mahārāja rājarṣiḥ sumahātapāḥ | devarājyamanuprāptaḥ sukṛteneha karmaṇā

Nahusha, O great king, was a royal sage of great austerity; by his own meritorious deeds he had attained the kingship of the gods.

Verse 5 (13.156.5)

तत्रापि प्रयतो राजन्नहुषस्त्रिदिवे वसन् । मानुषीश्चैव दिव्याश्च कुर्वाणो विविधाः क्रियाः ॥

tatrāpi prayato rājannahuṣastridive vasan | mānuṣīścaiva divyāśca kurvāṇo vividhāḥ kriyāḥ

Even there, O king, living in heaven, Nahusha remained disciplined and performed rites of many kinds, both human and divine.

Verse 6 (13.156.6)

मानुष्यस्तत्र सर्वाः स्म क्रियास्तस्य महात्मनः । प्रवृत्तास्त्रिदिवे राजन्दिव्याश्चैव सनातनाः ॥

mānuṣyastatra sarvāḥ sma kriyāstasya mahātmanaḥ | pravṛttāstridive rājandivyāścaiva sanātanāḥ

All the human rites of that great soul, O king, went on there in heaven, and the eternal divine ones as well.

Verse 7 (13.156.7)

अग्निकार्याणि समिधः कुशाः सुमनसस्तथा । बलयश्चान्नलाजाभिर्धूपनं दीपकर्म च ॥

agnikāryāṇi samidhaḥ kuśāḥ sumanasastathā | balayaścānnalājābhirdhūpanaṃ dīpakarma ca

The fire-rites, the kindling sticks, the kusha grass and the flowers, the bali offerings with food and parched grain, the incense and the lamp-rite

Verse 8 (13.156.8)

सर्वं तस्य गृहे राज्ञः प्रावर्तत महात्मनः । जपयज्ञान्मनोयज्ञांस्त्रिदिवेऽपि चकार सः ॥

sarvaṃ tasya gṛhe rājñaḥ prāvartata mahātmanaḥ | japayajñānmanoyajñāṃstridive'pi cakāra saḥ

all this went on in the household of that great-souled king. He performed japa-sacrifices and mental sacrifices even in heaven.

Verse 9 (13.156.9)

देवानभ्यर्चयच्चापि विधिवत्स सुरेश्वरः । सर्वानेव यथान्यायं यथापूर्वमरिंदम ॥

devānabhyarcayaccāpi vidhivatsa sureśvaraḥ | sarvāneva yathānyāyaṃ yathāpūrvamariṃdama

And that lord of the gods duly worshipped all the gods as he had before, O subduer of foes.

Verse 10 (13.156.10)

अथेन्द्रोऽहमिति ज्ञात्वा अहङ्कारं समाविशत् । सर्वाश्चैव क्रियास्तस्य पर्यहीयन्त भूपतेः ॥

athendro'hamiti jñātvā ahaṅkāraṃ samāviśat | sarvāścaiva kriyāstasya paryahīyanta bhūpateḥ

Then, thinking "I am Indra", he was seized by pride, and all those rites of his dwindled away, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected अथेनद्रोऽहमिति → अथेन्द्रोऽहमिति (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct). Recension variant of CE 13.102.10a (CE: athendrasya bhaviṣyatvād ahaṃkāras tam āviśat); line 2 is CE 10c.

Verse 11 (13.156.11)

सप्तर्षीन्वाहयामास वरदानमदान्वितः । परिहीनक्रियश्चैव दुर्बलत्वमुपेयिवान् ॥

saptarṣīnvāhayāmāsa varadānamadānvitaḥ | parihīnakriyaścaiva durbalatvamupeyivān

Drunk with pride in his boon, he had the seven sages carry him; and with his rites abandoned he grew weak.

Note on the text: Corrected वरदानदमान्वितः → वरदानमदान्वितः (misprint in Wikisource; द and म transposed, giving "dama" (self-restraint) where the sense is "intoxicated with the boon"; CE varadānamadānvitaḥ).

Verse 12 (13.156.12)

तस्य वाहयतः कालो मुनिमुख्यांस्तपोधनान् । अहङ्काराभिभूतस्य सुमहानत्यवर्तत ॥

tasya vāhayataḥ kālo munimukhyāṃstapodhanān | ahaṅkārābhibhūtasya sumahānatyavartata

A very long time passed for him, as he, overcome by ego, had those foremost sages, rich in austerity, carry him.

Verse 13 (13.156.13)

अथ पर्यायशः सर्वान्वाहनायोपचक्रमे । पर्यायश्चाप्यगस्त्यस्य समपद्यत भारत ॥

atha paryāyaśaḥ sarvānvāhanāyopacakrame | paryāyaścāpyagastyasya samapadyata bhārata

Then he began to make all of them carry him in turn, and, O Bharata, the turn of Agastya came.

Verse 14 (13.156.14)

अथागत्य महातेजा भृगुर्ब्रह्मविदांवरः । अगस्त्यमाश्रमस्थं वै समुपेत्येदमब्रवीत् ॥

athāgatya mahātejā bhṛgurbrahmavidāṃvaraḥ | agastyamāśramasthaṃ vai samupetyedamabravīt

Then the greatly radiant Bhrigu, best of the knowers of Brahman, came to Agastya at his hermitage, approached him and said this:

Verse 15 (13.156.15)

एवं वयमसत्कारं देवेन्द्रस्यास्य दुर्मतेः । नहुषस्य किमर्थं वै मर्षयाम महामुने ॥

evaṃ vayamasatkāraṃ devendrasyāsya durmateḥ | nahuṣasya kimarthaṃ vai marṣayāma mahāmune

"O great sage, why do we endure this insult from Nahusha, the evil-minded lord of the gods?"

Note on the text: The page prints no heading here; the whole verse is Bhrigu's direct speech, so it is given to him (the input carried over Bhishma).

Verse 16 (13.156.16)

कथमेष मया शक्यः शप्तुं यस्य महामुने । वरदेन वरो दत्तो भवतो विदितश्च सः ॥

kathameṣa mayā śakyaḥ śaptuṃ yasya mahāmune | varadena varo datto bhavato viditaśca saḥ

"How can I curse him, O great sage? The boon-giver gave him a boon, and you know it.

Verse 17 (13.156.17)

यो मे दृष्टिपथं गच्छेत्स मे वश्यो भवेदिति । इत्यनेन वरं देवो याचितो गच्छता दिवम् ॥

yo me dṛṣṭipathaṃ gacchetsa me vaśyo bhavediti | ityanena varaṃ devo yācito gacchatā divam

"Whoever comes within the range of my sight shall come under my power": with these words, as he was going to heaven, he begged the boon of the god."

Verse 18 (13.156.18)

एवं न दग्धः स मया भवता च न संशयः । अन्येनाप्यृषिमुख्येन न दग्धो न च पातितः ॥

evaṃ na dagdhaḥ sa mayā bhavatā ca na saṃśayaḥ | anyenāpyṛṣimukhyena na dagdho na ca pātitaḥ

"So he has not been burned by me or by you, no doubt, nor by any other chief of the sages; he has neither been burned nor cast down."

Verse 19 (13.156.19)

अमृतं चैव पानाय दत्तमस्मै पुरा विभो । महात्मना तदर्थं च नास्माभिर्विनिपात्यते ॥

amṛtaṃ caiva pānāya dattamasmai purā vibho | mahātmanā tadarthaṃ ca nāsmābhirvinipātyate

"And long ago, O lord, nectar was given to him to drink by the great-souled one; for that reason too he is not struck down by us."

Note on the text: Corrected तदर्तं → तदर्थं (misprint in Wikisource; त for थ; CE tadarthaṃ).

Verse 20 (13.156.20)

प्रायच्छत वरं देवः प्रजानां दुःखकारणम् । द्विजेष्वधर्मयुक्तानि स करोति नराधमः ॥

prāyacchata varaṃ devaḥ prajānāṃ duḥkhakāraṇam | dvijeṣvadharmayuktāni sa karoti narādhamaḥ

"The god gave a boon that brings sorrow to the people; that vilest of men does unrighteous things against the twice-born."

Verse 21 (13.156.21)

तत्र यत्प्राप्तकालं नस्तद्ब्रूहि वदतांवर । भवांश्चापि यथा ब्रूयात्तत्कर्तास्मि न संशयः ॥

tatra yatprāptakālaṃ nastadbrūhi vadatāṃvara | bhavāṃścāpi yathā brūyāttatkartāsmi na saṃśayaḥ

"In this matter, tell me what is timely for us, O best of speakers; and whatever you may say, I shall do, without doubt."

Note on the text: Corrected तद्ब्रू → तद्ब्रूहि (misprint in Wikisource; हि dropped; CE brūhi). CE 13.102.21c reads "bhavāṃś cāpi yathā brūyāt kurvīmahi tathā vayam"; Wikisource has a different wording of the same sense.

Verse 22 (13.156.22)

पितामहनियोगेन भवन्तं सोऽहमागतः । प्रतिकर्तुं बलवति नहुषे दर्पमोहिते ॥

pitāmahaniyogena bhavantaṃ so'hamāgataḥ | pratikartuṃ balavati nahuṣe darpamohite

"By the command of the Grandfather I have come to you, to take counter-measures against Nahusha, who is powerful and bewildered by arrogance."

Verse 23 (13.156.23)

अद्य हि त्वां सुदुर्बुद्धी रथे योक्ष्यति देवराट् । अद्यैनमहमुद्वृत्तं करिष्येऽनिन्द्रमोजसा ॥

adya hi tvāṃ sudurbuddhī rathe yokṣyati devarāṭ | adyainamahamudvṛttaṃ kariṣye'nindramojasā

"Today that evil-minded lord of the gods will yoke you to his chariot. Today I shall, by my power, make this unruly one no longer Indra."

Verse 24 (13.156.24)

अद्येन्द्रं स्थापयिष्यामि पश्यतस्ते शतक्रतुम् । सञ्चाल्य पापकर्माणमैन्द्रात्स्थानात्सुदुर्मतिम् ॥

adyendraṃ sthāpayiṣyāmi paśyataste śatakratum | sañcālya pāpakarmāṇamaindrātsthānātsudurmatim

"Today, before your eyes, I shall restore Indra, the Shatakratu, to his place, driving the evil-doer, that ill-minded one, out of Indra's station."

Verse 25 (13.156.25)

अद्य चासौ कुदेवेन्द्रस्त्वां पदा धर्षयिष्यति । दैवोपहतचित्तत्वादात्मनाशाय मन्दधीः ॥

adya cāsau kudevendrastvāṃ padā dharṣayiṣyati | daivopahatacittatvādātmanāśāya mandadhīḥ

"And today that wretched false Indra, his mind struck by fate, dull-witted, will assail you with his foot, for his own destruction."

Verse 26 (13.156.26)

व्युत्क्रान्तधर्मं तमहं धर्षणामर्षितो भृशम् । अहिर्भवस्वेति रुषा शप्स्ये पापं द्विजद्रुहम् ॥

vyutkrāntadharmaṃ tamahaṃ dharṣaṇāmarṣito bhṛśam | ahirbhavasveti ruṣā śapsye pāpaṃ dvijadruham

"Enraged at the assault, I shall in anger curse that sinner, that enemy of the twice-born, who has overstepped dharma: 'Become a serpent!'"

Verse 27 (13.156.27)

तत एनं सुदुर्बुद्धिं धिक्शब्दाभिहतत्विषम् । धरण्यां पातयिष्यामि पश्यतस्ते महामुने ॥

tata enaṃ sudurbuddhiṃ dhikśabdābhihatatviṣam | dharaṇyāṃ pātayiṣyāmi paśyataste mahāmune

"Then, with his lustre struck down by the cry of 'Shame!', I shall hurl that thoroughly ill-minded one to the ground before your eyes, O great sage."

Verse 28 (13.156.28)

नहुषं पापकर्माणमैश्वर्यबलमोहितम् । यथा च रोचते तुभ्यं तथा कर्तास्म्यहं मुने ॥

nahuṣaṃ pāpakarmāṇamaiśvaryabalamohitam | yathā ca rocate tubhyaṃ tathā kartāsmyahaṃ mune

"That evil-doer, bewildered by the might of lordship: as it pleases you, O sage, so shall I do."

Verse 29 (13.156.29)

एवमुक्तस्तु भृगुणा मैत्रावरुणिरव्ययः । अगस्त्यः परमप्रीतो बभूव विगतज्वरः ॥

evamuktastu bhṛguṇā maitrāvaruṇiravyayaḥ | agastyaḥ paramaprīto babhūva vigatajvaraḥ

When Bhrigu had spoken thus, Agastya, son of Mitra and Varuna, the imperishable, was exceedingly pleased and free of anxiety.

Note on the text: Speaker changed from Bhrigu to Bhishma: this is narration ("When Bhrigu had spoken thus ..."), the input carried over Bhrigu. CE has an additional star line 13.102.29d*459_01 (tathā cakāra tat sarvaṃ papāta nahuṣo yathā) which Wikisource lacks; not added.