Shloka 20

Nahūṣa’s Pride, the Ṛṣi-Borne Palanquin, and the Search for Indra (नहुष-इन्द्राणी-प्रकरणम्)

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ ते वचन देवि करिष्यामि न संशय: । सप्तर्षयो मां वक्ष्यन्ति सर्वे ब्रह्मर्षयस्तथा । पश्य माहात्म्ययोगं मे ऋद्धिं च वरवर्णिनि

Transliteration

tasmāt te vacanaṃ devi kariṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ | saptarṣayo māṃ vakṣyanti sarve brahmarṣayas tathā | paśya māhātmyayogaṃ me ṛddhiṃ ca varavarṇini ||

Translation

অতএব দেবী, তোমার আদেশ আমি অবশ্যই পালন করব—এতে কোনো সন্দেহ নেই। সপ্তর্ষিগণ এবং সকল ব্রহ্মর্ষিও আমাকে বহন করবেন। হে শুভবর্ণা, আমার মহিমার যোগ ও সমৃদ্ধির পূর্ণতা তুমি প্রত্যক্ষ দেখো।

Word by Word

• {'tasmāt': 'therefore

• for that reason', 'vacanam': 'word

• instruction', 'devi': 'O goddess

• lady (vocative)', 'kariṣyāmi': 'I shall do

• I will perform', 'na saṃśayaḥ': 'no doubt

• certainly', 'saptarṣayaḥ': 'the Seven Sages (a canonical group of great ṛṣis)', 'mām': 'me', 'vakṣyanti': 'will carry

• will bear (also: will convey)', 'sarve': 'all', 'brahmarṣayaḥ': 'Brahmarṣis

• sages of the highest spiritual rank', 'tathā': 'and likewise

• so too', 'paśya': 'see

• behold', 'māhātmyayogaḥ': 'the manifestation/union of greatness

• the display of extraordinary majesty', 'me': 'my', 'ṛddhiḥ': 'prosperity

• splendor', 'ca': 'and', 'varavarṇini': 'O woman of excellent/fair complexion

Speaker

नहुष उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nahusha
• Devi (the addressed goddess/lady)
• Saptarshi (Seven Sages)
• Brahmarshi (highest sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how pride can distort one’s sense of rightful authority: Nahusha treats revered sages as instruments of his status. In the ethical frame of the Mahabharata, such overreach against spiritual elders signals adharma and foreshadows downfall.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nahusha addresses a goddess/lady and agrees to fulfill her instruction. He boasts that the Seven Sages and other Brahmarṣis will carry him (as bearers of his palanquin), urging her to witness his majesty and prosperity—an assertion that sets up the moral tension of arrogance versus reverence for ṛṣis.