Shloka 15
नहुषोपाख्यानम्—दीपदान-धूप-बलीकर्म-प्रशंसा
Nahūṣa Episode and the Commendation of Lamp-Gifting and Household Offerings
द्रुतं सरस्वतीकूलात् स्मयन्निव महाबल: । ततो भृगुर्महातेजा मैत्रावरुणिमब्रवीत्
drutaṁ sarasvatīkūlāt smayann iva mahābalaḥ | tato bhṛgur mahātejā maitrāvaruṇim abravīt |
Bhishma berkata: Maka yang perkasa itu, seolah-olah tersenyum, segera bergegas dari tebing Sungai Sarasvatī. Lalu resi Bhṛgu yang bersinar agung menegur Maitrāvaruṇi (Agastya), menggerakkan nasihat seterusnya dalam peristiwa ini—di mana akibat kekacauan upacara yajña dan pencerobohan kuasa yang memusuhi menjadi amaran moral tentang pengekangan diri, kelakuan yang benar, dan pemeliharaan ritus suci.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a transition into instruction: when sacred order is disturbed, wise sages respond through counsel and corrective action. It implicitly upholds dharma—protecting rites, exercising restraint, and addressing wrongdoing through proper authority and wisdom rather than impulse.
A powerful figure departs swiftly from the Sarasvatī’s bank, and then the sage Bhṛgu begins speaking to Agastya (Maitrāvaruṇi). The verse functions as a narrative hinge introducing Bhṛgu’s words and the next development in the episode.