Shloka 24

नहुषोपाख्यानम्—दीपदान-धूप-बलीकर्म-प्रशंसा

Nahūṣa Episode and the Commendation of Lamp-Gifting and Household Offerings

Devanagari script

शशाप बलवत्क़ुद्धो नहुषं पापचेतसम्‌ | यस्मात्‌ पदा55हत: क्रोधाच्छिरसीमं महामुनिम्‌

Transliteration

śaśāpa balavat kruddho nahuṣaṁ pāpacetasam | yasmāt padāhatāḥ krodhāc chirasīmaṁ mahāmunim ||

Translation

ત્યારે બળવાન અને ક્રોધિત થયેલા મહામુનિએ પાપચેતસ નહુષને શાપ આપ્યો; કારણ કે ક્રોધમાં આવી નહુષે પોતાના પગથી તે મહામુનિના શિર પર પ્રહાર કર્યો હતો.

Word by Word

• शशाप: cursed
• शशाप: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• बलवत्: powerful, strongly
• बलवत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नहुषम्: Nahusha
• नहुषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नहुष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पापचेतसम्: evil-minded
• पापचेतसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापचेतस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यस्मात्: because of which / since
• यस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• पदा: with the foot
• पदा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• हतः: struck
• हतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle

• क्रोधात्: out of anger
• क्रोधात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महामुनिम्: the great sage
• महामुनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Nahuṣa
• mahāmuni (the great sage, traditionally Agastya in this episode)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Uncontrolled anger and pride—especially when directed against the virtuous—constitute adharma and bring immediate moral repercussions; reverence toward sages and self-restraint are essential safeguards of righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recounts how Nahuṣa, overcome by anger and wrongdoing, struck a great sage on the head with his foot; in response, the enraged sage cursed Nahuṣa, setting in motion his downfall.