Shloka 20
Nahuṣa Abhiṣeka and the Crisis of Restraint (नहुषाभिषेकः—दमभ्रंशः)
रक्ष मां नहुषाद् ब्रह्मंस्त्वामस्मि शरणं गता । सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्नां ब्रह्मुंस्त्वं मां प्रभाषसे,यह सुनकर शचीदेवी मन-ही-मन बहुत दुःखी हुईं और बृहस्पतिसे बोलीं--'ब्रह्मन! मैं आपकी शरणमें आयी हूँ, आप नहुषसे मेरी रक्षा कीजिये। विप्रवर! आप मुझसे कहा करते हैं कि तुम समस्त शुभ लक्षणोंसे सम्पन्न, देवराज इन्द्रकी प्राणवल्लभा, अत्यन्त सुखभागिनी, सौभाग्यवती, एकपत्नी और पतिव्रता हो
rakṣa māṁ nahuṣād brahman tvām asmi śaraṇaṁ gatā | sarvalakṣaṇasampannāṁ brahman tvaṁ māṁ prabhāṣase |
Śacī sprach: „O Brahmane, schütze mich vor Nahuṣa; zu dir bin ich als Zuflucht gekommen. O Brahmane, du selbst hast oft von mir gesagt, ich sei mit allen glückverheißenden Merkmalen ausgestattet.“
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights śaraṇāgati—seeking refuge with the righteous—and implies a dharmic obligation upon the wise (here, Bṛhaspati) to protect one who is threatened. It also affirms the ethical value placed on a woman’s dignity and marital fidelity, which society and spiritual authorities are expected to safeguard.
Śacī, troubled by Nahuṣa’s pressure and misconduct, turns to Bṛhaspati for protection. She reminds him that he has praised her auspicious qualities and fidelity to Indra, and she appeals to him to act accordingly by shielding her from Nahuṣa.