Shloka 29

अग्निस्तुति, इन्द्रदर्शन, नहुष-भयवर्णन

Agni-hymn, discovery of Indra, and the Nahuṣa threat

Devanagari script

स तान्‌ यथावच्च हि लोकपालान्‌ समेत्य वै प्रीतमना महेन्द्र: । उवाच चैनान्‌ प्रतिभाष्य शक्रः संचोदयिष्यन्नहुषस्यान्तरेण,उन लोकपालोंसे यथायोग्य मिलकर महेन्द्रको बड़ी प्रसन्नता हुई। उन्होंने उन सबको सम्बोधित करके राजा नहुषके भीतर बुद्धिभेद उत्पन्न करनेके लिये प्रेरणा देते हुए कहा --

Transliteration

sa tān yathāvac ca hi lokapālān sametya vai prītamanā mahendraḥ | uvāca cainān pratibhāṣya śakraḥ sañcodayiṣyann ahuṣasyāntareṇa ||

Translation

Having met the Lokapālas in due and proper manner, Mahendra’s heart was filled with satisfaction. Then Śakra addressed them, speaking with the intent to spur on a plan that would sow inner confusion in King Nahuṣa—so that Nahuṣa’s own mind would be turned against right judgment from within.

Word by Word

• {'saḥ': 'he', 'tān': 'those (them)', 'yathāvat': 'properly, according to rule and propriety', 'hi': 'indeed', 'lokapālān': 'guardians of the worlds

• cosmic regents', 'sametya': 'having met/assembled with', 'vai': 'indeed, certainly (emphatic particle)', 'prītamanāḥ': 'with pleased mind

• delighted at heart', 'mahendraḥ': 'Mahendra

• Indra, lord of the gods', 'uvāca': 'said, spoke', 'ca': 'and', 'enān': 'these (them)', 'pratibhāṣya': 'addressing in reply

• speaking to directly', 'śakraḥ': 'Śakra

• Indra', 'sañcodayiṣyan': 'intending to incite/urge

• about to prompt', 'ahuṣasya': 'of Nahuṣa', 'antareṇa': 'from within

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mahendra (Indra)
• Śakra (Indra)
• Lokapālas
• King Nahuṣa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power and authority must remain aligned with dharma; when pride or illegitimate ambition rises (as with Nahuṣa), it becomes vulnerable to inner confusion and self-caused downfall. The verse highlights how ethical order is protected not only by force but also by counsel and the redirection of a wrong-minded ruler’s intentions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra (Mahendra/Śakra) meets the Lokapālas properly and is pleased. He then speaks to them with a strategic purpose: to set in motion a course that will create a disruptive change within King Nahuṣa’s mind—an internal turning that will undermine Nahuṣa’s judgment.