Shloka 5

Nahūṣa’s Fall Explained: Agastya’s Account to Indra (Śalya-narrated)

Devanagari script

शल्य उवाच पूजितं चोपविष्टं तमासने मुनिसत्तमम्‌ | पर्यपृच्छत देवेश: प्रहृष्टो ब्राह्मणर्षभम्‌

Transliteration

śalya uvāca pūjitaṃ copaviṣṭaṃ tam āsane munisattamam | paryapṛcchata deveśaḥ prahṛṣṭo brāhmaṇarṣabham |

Translation

Śalya said: Having duly honoured that foremost of sages and seated him upon a fitting seat, the lordly ruler—delighted at heart—questioned the bull among Brahmins.

Word by Word

• शल्यः: Shalya
• शल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• पूजितम्: honoured
• पूजितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• उपविष्टम्: seated
• उपविष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपविष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आसने: on the seat
• आसने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मुनिसत्तमम्: the best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनिसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पर्यपृच्छत्: asked (inquired)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular

• देवेशः: the lord of gods
• देवेशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रहृष्टः: delighted
• प्रहृष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहृष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणर्षभम्: the bull among Brahmins (best Brahmin)
• ब्राह्मणर्षभम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya
• deveśa (honorific lord/ruler)
• munisattama (foremost sage)
• brāhmaṇarṣabha (eminent Brahmin/sage)
• āsana (seat)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct in seeking guidance: one should first honour the wise with proper reception and seating, and only then inquire respectfully. Reverence and humility are presented as prerequisites for receiving sound counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

A foremost sage has arrived or is present; he is welcomed, honoured, and seated. Then a lordly figure (addressed as deveśa) joyfully begins to question the eminent Brahmin-sage, setting up a dialogue of counsel.