Shloka 18

Cyavana’s Yogic Display and Kuśika’s Recognition of Tapas (च्यवन-योगप्रभावः कुशिकस्य तपःप्रशंसा च)

Devanagari script

नहुष उवाच ब्रवीतु भगवान्‌ मूल्यं महर्षे: सदृशं भूगो: । परित्रायस्व मामस्मद्विषयं च कुलं च मे

Transliteration

Nahuṣa uvāca: Bravītu bhagavān mūlyaṃ maharṣeḥ sadṛśaṃ Bhṛgoḥ | Paritrāyasva mām asmad-viṣayaṃ ca kulaṃ ca me ||

Translation

Nahusha said: “Revered sir, please declare the proper ‘price’—a recompense worthy of the great sage, the son of Bhṛgu. By doing so, rescue me, my realm, and my lineage from this peril.”

Word by Word

• नहुषः: Nahusha
• नहुषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नहुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• ब्रवीतु: let (him) say / may (he) tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Third, Singular

• भगवान्: the venerable one / the blessed lord (sir)
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मूल्यम्: price, value
• मूल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महर्षेः: of the great sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सदृशम्: suitable, befitting
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भृगोः: of Bhrigu
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• परित्रायस्व: protect (me), rescue (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा (परि-)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• अस्मद्विषयम्: my realm/kingdom
• अस्मद्विषयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्-विषय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कुलम्: family, lineage
• कुलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मे: my, of me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

Speaker

नहुष उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nahuṣa
• Bhṛgu
• Cyavana (Bhṛguputra maharṣi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should seek a remedy that is ethically proportionate: when a wrong or crisis involves a sage, the king must offer a fitting recompense and humbly request protection, prioritizing the welfare of the realm and the continuity of the dynasty.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Nahuṣa addresses a revered sage and asks him to specify an appropriate ‘mūlya’ (recompense) for the Bhṛgu-line sage Cyavana, requesting that this act of proper restitution and submission lead to deliverance for himself, his kingdom, and his family from danger.