Shloka 22
नहुषोपाख्यानम्—दीपदान-धूप-बलीकर्म-प्रशंसा
Nahūṣa Episode and the Commendation of Lamp-Gifting and Household Offerings
तं तु राजा प्रतोदेन चोदयामास भारत । न चुकोप स धर्मात्मा ततः पादेन देवराट्
taṃ tu rājā pratodena codayāmāsa bhārata | na cukopa sa dharmātmā tataḥ pādena devarāṭ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Wahai keturunan Bharata, raja itu menghalaunya dengan cemeti tajam. Namun insan yang berjiwa dharma itu tidak menjadi marah; kemudian raja para dewa menendangnya dengan kaki.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical ideal of akrodha (freedom from anger) and kṣamā (forbearance): even when provoked or treated harshly, a dharmātmā remains unshaken, showing inner mastery rather than reactive hostility.
Bhīṣma narrates an episode in which a king urges someone forward using a goad. The person, described as dharmātmā, does not become angry. Immediately after, Devarāṭ (Indra), the king of the gods, is said to strike with his foot—indicating a sudden divine action within the story.