Shloka 6

Nahūṣa’s Fall Explained: Agastya’s Account to Indra (Śalya-narrated)

Devanagari script

एतदिच्छामि भगवन्‌ कथ्यमान द्विजोत्तम | परिभ्रष्ट: कथं स्वर्गान्नहुष: पापनिश्चय:

Transliteration

etad icchāmi bhagavan kathyamāna dvijottama | paribhraṣṭaḥ kathaṃ svargān nahuṣaḥ pāpaniścayaḥ ||

Translation

ଭଗବନ୍, ଦ୍ୱିଜୋତ୍ତମ! ଆପଣ କହୁଥିବା ପରି ମୁଁ ଏହା ଶୁଣିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛା କରୁଛି—ପାପନିଶ୍ଚୟ କରିଥିବା ନହୁଷ କିପରି ସ୍ୱର୍ଗରୁ ଭ୍ରଷ୍ଟ ହୋଇ ପତିତ ହେଲା?

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इच्छामि: I wish/desire
• इच्छामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ्)
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भगवन्: O venerable one
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कथ्यमानम्: being told/related
• कथ्यमानम्: Karma
• Type: Participle
• Root: कथ्
• Form: Passive, Present, Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• परिभ्रष्टः: fallen down/deviated
• परिभ्रष्टः: Karta
• Type: Participle
• Root: परि-भ्रंश्
• Form: Active, Past (PPP), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• स्वर्गात्: from heaven
• स्वर्गात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• नहुषः: Nahusha
• नहुषः: Karta
• Type: ProperNoun
• Root: नहुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पापनिश्चयः: one whose resolve is sinful / of sinful intent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापनिश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शल्य (Śalya)
• नहुष (Nahuṣa)
• स्वर्ग (Svarga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical inquiry: even one who reaches heavenly status can fall when guided by pāpa-niścaya—deliberate resolve toward wrongdoing. It highlights accountability and the fragility of exalted power when dharma is abandoned.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śalya addresses a Brahmin narrator and requests the detailed account of Nahuṣa’s downfall—specifically, how Nahuṣa, after adopting a sinful intention, was cast down from Svarga.