Shloka 30

Adhyāya 12: Devas’ Petition to Nahūṣa; Bṛhaspati on Śaraṇāgata-Dharma; Indrāṇī’s Strategic Delay

Devanagari script

क्षिप्रं वामभिकामश्न विनशिष्यति पापकृत्‌ | नहुषो देवि शक्रश्न सुरैश्चवर्यमवाप्स्यति

Transliteration

kṣipraṃ vām abhikāmaś ca vinaśiṣyati pāpakṛt | nahuṣo devi śakraś ca suraiś cāryam avāpsyati ||

Translation

Dijo Śalya: «Muy pronto, tanto el hacedor de pecado como el impulsado por el deseo lascivo caerán en ruina. Oh diosa, ni Nahuṣa ni siquiera Śakra alcanzarán la supremacía entre los dioses.»

Word by Word

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly, soon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र
• Form: Avyaya (adverb)

• वाम: left (side); adverse
• वाम: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular

• अभिकामः: desirous, eager
• अभिकामः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिकाम
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: Avyaya (negation)

• विनशिष्यति: perishes, is destroyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नश्
• Form: Lat (present), parasmaipada, 3rd person singular

• पापकृत्: evil-doer, sinner
• पापकृत्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापकृत्
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular

• नहुषः: Nahusha (proper name)
• नहुषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नहुष
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular

• देवि: O goddess / O lady
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, vocative singular

• शक्रः: Shakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: Avyaya (negation)

• सुरैः: by/with the gods
• सुरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर
• Form: Masculine, instrumental plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya (conjunction)

• वर्यम्: the best state/boon; excellence
• वर्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्य
• Form: Neuter, accusative singular

• अवाप्स्यति: will obtain, will attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप्
• Form: Lrt (simple future), parasmaipada, 3rd person singular

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya
• Nahuṣa
• Śakra (Indra)
• Devi (goddess, addressed)
• Suras (the gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wrongdoing and uncontrolled desire lead swiftly to ruin; even exalted status cannot be securely held when dharma is violated.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śalya delivers a warning framed through mythic exemplars (Nahuṣa and Śakra/Indra), emphasizing that supremacy among the gods is not attained—or is lost—when one is driven by sin and desire.