Shloka 13
नहुषोपाख्यानम्—दीपदान-धूप-बलीकर्म-प्रशंसा
Nahūṣa Episode and the Commendation of Lamp-Gifting and Household Offerings
ततः स परिहीणो<भूत् सुरेन्द्रो बलदर्पत: । धूपदीपोदकविधधि न यथावच्चकार ह,बलके घमण्डमें आकर देवराज नहुष उन सत्कर्मोंसे भ्रष्ट हो गये। उन्होंने धूपदान, दीपदान और जलदानकी विधिका यथावत््रूपसे पालन करना छोड़ दिया
tataḥ sa parihīṇo 'bhūt surendro baladarpataḥ | dhūpadīpodakavidhīṁ na yathāvac cakāra ha ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Sesudah itu, tuan para dewa itu jatuh daripada keadaan yang sepatutnya, mabuk oleh keangkuhan kuasa. Dia tidak lagi melaksanakan, sebagaimana ditetapkan, upacara persembahan dupa, pelita, dan air.” Petikan ini menegaskan bahawa kesombongan menghakis disiplin dalam kewajipan suci, dan pengabaian terhadap persembahan harian yang sederhana pun menandakan kemerosotan dharma yang lebih dalam.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power breeds downfall when it turns into pride: arrogance leads to negligence of prescribed duties, and the neglect of small daily rites (incense, lamp, water offerings) reflects a broader collapse of self-restraint and dharma.
Bhīṣma describes the decline of the ‘lord of the gods’ (in the episode, Nahusha elevated to Indra’s position): intoxicated by power, he stops observing the proper ritual procedures for offerings, marking the beginning of his moral and spiritual fall.