Shloka 52
Atithi-satkāra and the Consolation of Wise Counsel (अतिथिसत्कारः प्रज्ञानवचनस्य च पराश्वासनम्)
अथानिन्द्र पुनस्त्र्लोक्यमभवत् ततो देवा ऋषयश्न भगवन्तं विष्णुं शरणमिन्द्रार्थेइभिजग्मुरूचुश्ैन॑ भगवन्निन्द्रं ब्रह्म॒हत्याभिभूतं त्रातुमहसीति ततः स वरदस्तानब्रवीदश्नमेधं यज्ञं वैष्णवं शक्रोडभियजतां ततः स्वस्थानं प्राप्स्यतीति ततो देवा ऋषयश्रेन्द्रे नापश्यन् यदा तदा शचीमूचुर्गच्छ सुभगे इन्द्रमानयस्वेति सा पुनस्तत्सर: समभ्यगच्छदिन्द्रश्न॒ तस्मात् सरस: प्रत्युत्थाय बृहस्पतिमभिजगाम बृहस्पतिश्नाश्वमेधं महाक्रतुं शक्रायाहरत् तत्र कृष्णसारड्ढं मेध्यमश्वमुत्सूज्य वाहनं तमेव कृत्वा इन्द्र मरुत्पतिं बृहस्पति: स्वं स्थानं प्रापपामास,नहुषका पतन हो जानेपर त्रिलोकीका राज्य पुन: बिना इन्द्रके हो गया, तब देवता और ऋषि इन्द्रके लिये भगवान् विष्णुकी शरणमें गये और उनसे बोले--“भगवन! ब्रह्महत्यासे पीड़ित हुए इन्द्रकी रक्षा कीजिये” तब वरदायक भगवान् विष्णुने उन देवताओंसे कहा --देवगण! इन्द्र विष्णुके उद्देश्यसे अश्वमेध यज्ञ करें। तब वे फिर अपना स्थान प्राप्त करेंगे।' यह सुनकर देवता और महर्षि इन्द्रको ढूँढ़ने लगे। जब वे कहीं उनका पता न पा सके, तब वे शचीसे बोले--'सुभगे! तुम्हीं जाओ और इन्द्रको यहाँ ले आओ।' तब शची पुनः मानसरोवरपर गयीं। शचीके कहनेसे इन्द्र उस सरोवरसे निकलकर बृहस्पतिजीके पास आये। बृहस्पतिजीने इन्द्रके लिये अश्वमेध नामक महायज्ञका अनुष्ठान किया। उस यजञ्ञमें उन्होंने कृष्णसारंग नामक यज्ञिय अश्वको छोड़ा था। उसीको वाहन बनाकर बृहस्पतिने पुनः देवराज इन्द्रको अपने पदपर प्रतिष्ठित किया
athānindraḥ punaḥ trailokyam abhavat | tato devā ṛṣayaś ca bhagavantaṃ viṣṇuṃ śaraṇam indrārthe ’bhijagmur ūcuś ca— “bhagavan! indraṃ brahmahatyābhibhūtaṃ trātum arhasi” iti | tataḥ sa varadas tān abravīt— “aśvamedhaṃ yajñaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ śakro ’bhiyajatām; tataḥ sva-sthānaṃ prāpsyati” iti | tato devā ṛṣayaś cendre nāpaśyan yadā tadā śacīm ūcuḥ— “gaccha subhage, indram ānayā” iti | sā punas tat-saras samabhyagacchat | indras tu tasmāt sarasaḥ pratyutthāya bṛhaspatim abhijagāma | bṛhaspatiś cāśvamedhaṃ mahākratuṃ śakrāyāharat | tatra kṛṣṇasāraṅgaṃ medhyam aśvam utsṛjya vāhanaṃ tam eva kṛtvā indraṃ marutpatiṃ bṛhaspatiḥ svaṃ sthānaṃ prāpayām āsa |
After Nahusha’s fall, the sovereignty of the three worlds again became without Indra. Then the gods and the seers sought refuge in Lord Vishnu for Indra’s sake and said, “O Blessed One, protect Indra who is overwhelmed by the sin of brahma-hatya.” The boon-giving Vishnu replied, “Let Shakra perform a Vaishnava Ashvamedha sacrifice; then he will regain his own station.” Hearing this, the gods and great seers searched for Indra; when they could not find him, they said to Shachi, “O fortunate one, go and bring Indra here.” Shachi went again to that lake. At her urging Indra rose up from the lake and went to Brihaspati. Brihaspati then arranged for Shakra the great Ashvamedha rite; releasing a consecrated sacrificial horse named Kṛṣṇasāraṅga, he made it Indra’s mount and restored Marutpati Indra to his rightful throne. Ethically, the passage frames the restoration of authority as requiring expiation and divine guidance: power is legitimate only when cleansed of grave wrongdoing and re-established through dharmic rites.
तामिन्द्र उवाच गच्छ नहुषस्त्वया वाच्योथ<पूर्वेण मामृषियुक्तेन यानेन त्वमधिरूढ
Educational Q&A
Legitimate authority must align with dharma: even a king of the gods cannot simply resume power while burdened by grave sin. Restoration requires humility (seeking refuge), proper expiation (a Vishnu-dedicated Ashvamedha), and guidance from wise teachers (Brihaspati), showing that ethical order is maintained through accountability and sacred discipline.
After Nahusha falls, the three worlds lack Indra’s rule. The gods and sages appeal to Vishnu to save Indra, who is afflicted by brahma-hatya. Vishnu prescribes a Vaishnava Ashvamedha. Unable to locate Indra, they send Shachi, who finds him at a lake; Indra then approaches Brihaspati, who conducts the Ashvamedha and restores Indra to his throne, using the consecrated horse as his mount.