Shloka 3
Nahūṣa’s Fall Explained: Agastya’s Account to Indra (Śalya-narrated)
विश्वरूपविनाशेन वृत्रासुरवधेन च । दिष्ट्याद्य नहुषो भ्रष्टो देवराज्यात् पुरंदर । दिष्ट्या हतारिं पश्यामि भवन्तं बलसूदन,शल्य कहते हैं--युधिष्ठटि! जिस समय बुद्धिमान् देवराज इन्द्र देवताओं तथा लोकपालोंके साथ बैठकर नहुषके वधका उपाय सोच रहे थे, उसी समय वहाँ तपस्वी भगवान् अगस्त्य दिखायी दिये। उन्होंने देवेन्द्रकी पूजा करके कहा--'सौभाग्यकी बात है कि आप विश्वरूपके विनाश तथा वृत्रासुरके वधसे निरन्तर अभ्युदयशील हो रहे हैं। बलसूदन पुरंदर! यह भी सौभाग्यकी ही बात है कि आज नहुष देवताओंके राज्यसे भ्रष्ट हो गये। बलसूदन! सौभाग्यसे ही मैं आपको शत्रुहीन देख रहा हूँ!
viśvarūpavināśena vṛtrāsuravadhena ca | diṣṭyādya nahuṣo bhraṣṭo devarājyāt puraṃdara | diṣṭyā hatāriṃ paśyāmi bhavantaṃ balasūdana ||
Disse Śalya: “Por boa fortuna, pela destruição de Viśvarūpa e pela morte de Vṛtrāsura, continuaste a elevar-te em poder e êxito. Ó Purandara, também é uma bênção que hoje Nahūṣa tenha caído da soberania dos deuses. Ó matador de Bala, por fortuna vejo-te agora como aquele cujos inimigos foram abatidos.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames political and cosmic stability as dependent on the rightful holder of authority: when disruptive claimants (like Nahuṣa) are removed and threats are subdued, order is restored. It also highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurrent theme that success and downfall are often spoken of as ‘diṣṭyā’—as outcomes aligned with a larger moral-cosmic dispensation.
Śalya recounts a divine episode: Indra, celebrated for earlier victories (over Viśvarūpa and Vṛtra), is now fortunate to see Nahuṣa expelled from the gods’ sovereignty. The speech functions as praise of Indra’s restored security and the reestablishment of divine kingship.