Shloka 18
Nahūṣa’s Fall Explained: Agastya’s Account to Indra (Śalya-narrated)
एवं भ्रष्टो दुरात्मा स देवराज्यादरिंदम । दिष्ट्या वर्धामहे शक्र हतो ब्राह्मणकण्टक:
evaṁ bhraṣṭo durātmā sa devarājyād arindama | diṣṭyā vardhāmahe śakra hato brāhmaṇakaṇṭakaḥ ||
“ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਉਹ ਦੁਰਾਤਮਾ ਦੇਵ-ਰਾਜ ਤੋਂ ਭ੍ਰਸ਼ਟ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਹੇਠਾਂ ਡਿੱਗਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਭਾਗ ਹੈ, ਹੇ ਸ਼ਕ੍ਰ! ਅਸੀਂ ਫਲਫੂਲ ਰਹੇ ਹਾਂ—ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਦੁਖ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਉਹ ਕਾਂਟਾ ਮਾਰਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ।”
अगस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse affirms a dharmic principle: those who become a ‘thorn’ to brāhmaṇas and violate sacred-social order ultimately fall from power, while the restoration of justice is seen as a cause for communal well-being and prosperity.
Agastya addresses Śakra (Indra), declaring that a wicked figure has been cast down from divine sovereignty and that it is fortunate for all that this oppressor of brāhmaṇas has been slain, implying the re-establishment of moral and cosmic order.