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
एतदिच्छामि भगवन् कथ्यमानं द्विजोत्तम । परिभ्रष्टः कथं स्वर्गान्नहुषः पापनिश्चयः ॥
Word by Word
एतत्this (matter)
एतत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इच्छामिI wish/desire
इच्छामि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootइष् (इच्छ्)
FormPresent, First, Singular, Parasmaipada
भगवन्O venerable one
भगवन्:
TypeNoun
Rootभगवत्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
कथ्यमानम्being told/related
कथ्यमानम्:
Karma
TypeParticiple
Rootकथ्
FormPassive, Present, Neuter, Accusative, Singular
द्विजोत्तमO best of the twice-born (brahmins)
द्विजोत्तम:
TypeNoun
Rootद्विजोत्तम
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
परिभ्रष्टःfallen down/deviated
परिभ्रष्टः:
Karta
TypeParticiple
Rootपरि-भ्रंश्
FormActive, Past (PPP), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
कथम्how?
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
स्वर्गात्from heaven
स्वर्गात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootस्वर्ग
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
नहुषःNahusha
नहुषः:
Karta
TypeProperNoun
Rootनहुष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पापनिश्चयःone whose resolve is sinful / of sinful intent
पापनिश्चयः:
TypeAdjective
Rootपापनिश्चय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
शल्य उवाच
Characters & Entities
श
शल्य (Śalya)न
नहुष (Nahuṣa)स
स्वर्ग (Svarga)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
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.
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.