Shloka 15
Dhūpa–Dīpa–Bali Phala Praśna; Nahūṣa–Agastya–Bhṛgu Saṃvāda
Incense, Lamp, and Bali Offerings; the Nahūṣa Dialogue
एवं वयमसत्तकार देवेन्द्रस्यास्य दुर्मते: । नहुषस्य किमर्थ वै मर्षयाम महामुने
evaṁ vayam asatkāra devendrasyāsya durmateḥ | nahuṣasya kimarthaṁ vai marṣayāma mahāmune ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Maka, wahai maha resi, mengapakah kita harus bertolak ansur terhadap penghinaan biadab ini yang dilakukan Nahusha yang berhati jahat terhadap Indra, raja para dewa?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores a dharmic norm: arrogance and disrespect toward rightful authority (here, Indra) is ethically intolerable and invites correction; forbearance is not always virtuous when it enables adharma.
Bhishma, addressing a great sage, frames a moral question about Nahusha’s misconduct—his disrespect toward Indra—and asks why such behavior should be endured.