Shloka 6
Adhyāya 12: Devas’ Petition to Nahūṣa; Bṛhaspati on Śaraṇāgata-Dharma; Indrāṇī’s Strategic Delay
अहल्या धर्षिता पूर्वमृषिपत्नी यशस्विनी । जीवतो भर्तुरिन्द्रेण स व: कि न निवारित:,'देवताओ! जब इन्द्रने पूर्वकालमें यशस्विनी ऋषि-पत्नी अहल्याका उसके पति गौतमके जीते-जी सतीत्व नष्ट किया था, उस समय आपलोगोंने उन्हें क्यों नहीं रोका?
Ahalyā dharṣitā pūrvam ṛṣipatnī yaśasvinī | jīvato bhartur indreṇa sa vaḥ kiṁ na nivāritaḥ ||
Wahai para dewa! Dahulu Ahalyā yang termasyhur, istri seorang resi, dinodai oleh Indra ketika suaminya masih hidup. Mengapa kalian tidak menahannya saat itu?
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse challenges selective enforcement of dharma: even powerful beings must be restrained when they violate ethical norms, and moral authority is undermined when wrongdoing is tolerated due to status.
Śalya addresses the gods and cites the well-known incident of Indra’s transgression against Ahalyā during Gautama’s lifetime, using it as a rhetorical accusation: if the gods did not stop Indra then, on what grounds do they claim moral oversight now?