Shloka 22
Nahūṣa’s Fall Explained: Agastya’s Account to Indra (Śalya-narrated)
उपागम्याब्रुवन् सर्वे दिष्ट्या वर्धसि शरत्रुहन् । हतश्च नहुषः पापो दिष्ट्यागस्त्येन धीमता । दिष्ट्या पापसमाचार: कृत: सर्पो महीतले
upāgamyābruvan sarve diṣṭyā vardhasi śatrūhan | hataś ca nahuṣaḥ pāpo diṣṭyāgastyena dhīmatā | diṣṭyā pāpasamācāraḥ kṛtaḥ sarpo mahītale ||
Todos se acercaron y dijeron: «La fortuna te acompaña, oh matador de enemigos; tu prosperidad es en verdad auspiciosa. Por buena ventura, el sabio Agastya ha abatido al pecador Nahuṣa; y por buena ventura, ese malhechor ha sido convertido en serpiente sobre la tierra.»
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that immoral conduct (pāpa-samācāra) leads to downfall and transformation into a degraded state, while the correction of wrongdoing by a wise authority (Agastya) is celebrated as the restoration of dharma and social-cosmic order.
A group approaches Indra and congratulates him, rejoicing that the sinful Nahuṣa has been subdued by the sage Agastya and reduced to the condition of a serpent on earth—an event presented as a fortunate turning point.