Shloka 15
Dhūpa–Dīpa–Bali Phala Praśna; Nahūṣa–Agastya–Bhṛgu Saṃvāda
Incense, Lamp, and Bali Offerings; the Nahūṣa Dialogue
एवं वयमसत्तकार देवेन्द्रस्यास्य दुर्मते: । नहुषस्य किमर्थ वै मर्षयाम महामुने
evaṁ vayam asatkāra devendrasyāsya durmateḥ | nahuṣasya kimarthaṁ vai marṣayāma mahāmune ||
“হে মহামুনি! এই দুর্মতি নহুষে দেবেন্দ্ৰ ইন্দ্ৰৰ প্ৰতি যি অসত্কাৰ আৰু অপমান দেখুৱাইছে, আমি তাক কিয় সহ্য কৰিম?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores a dharmic norm: arrogance and disrespect toward rightful authority (here, Indra) is ethically intolerable and invites correction; forbearance is not always virtuous when it enables adharma.
Bhishma, addressing a great sage, frames a moral question about Nahusha’s misconduct—his disrespect toward Indra—and asks why such behavior should be endured.