Shloka 20
Adhyāya 12: Devas’ Petition to Nahūṣa; Bṛhaspati on Śaraṇāgata-Dharma; Indrāṇī’s Strategic Delay
मोघमन्नं विन्दति चाप्यचेता: स्वर्गाल्लोकाद् भ्रश्यति नष्टचेष्ट: । भीतं प्रपन्न॑ प्रददाति यो वै न तस्य हव्यं॑ प्रतिगृह्नन्ति देवा:
mogham annaṁ vindati cāpy acetāḥ svargāl lokād bhraśyati naṣṭaceṣṭaḥ | bhītaṁ prapannaṁ pradadāti yo vai na tasya havyaṁ pratigṛhṇanti devāḥ ||
ಭಯಭೀತನಾಗಿ ಶರಣಾಗತವಾದವನನ್ನು ಶತ್ರುವಿನ ಕೈಗೆ ಒಪ್ಪಿಸುವ ಆ ಅಚೇತನನಿಗೆ ಆಹಾರವೂ ವ್ಯರ್ಥವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ; ಅವನ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಗಳು ನಾಶವಾಗುತ್ತವೆ; ಅವನು ಸ್ವರ್ಗಲೋಕದಿಂದ ಪತನಗೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಮತ್ತು ದೇವರುಗಳು ಅವನು ಅರ್ಪಿಸುವ ಹವಿಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that betraying a frightened person who has sought refuge is a grave breach of dharma. Such treachery destroys one’s merit and spiritual standing: even ordinary enjoyments become ‘fruitless,’ one falls from heavenly attainments, and one’s ritual offerings lose efficacy because the gods do not accept them.
Śalya is articulating a moral warning within the Udyoga Parva’s counsel-laden context: in the lead-up to war and political decision-making, he condemns the act of delivering a terrified suppliant into an enemy’s hands, describing its karmic and religious consequences.