Shloka 28
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 103: Garuḍa’s Protest, Viṣṇu’s Demonstration, and Counsel Toward Śama
प्रादाच्छक्रस्ततस्तस्मै पन्नगायायुरुत्तमम् । न त्वेनममृतप्राशं चकार बलवृत्रहा,तब इन्द्रने उस नागको अच्छी आयु प्रदान की, परंतु बलासुर और वृत्रासुरका विनाश करनेवाले इन्द्रने उसे अमृतभोजी नहीं बनाया
prādāc chakras tatas tasmai pannagāyāyur uttamam | na tv enam amṛtaprāśaṃ cakāra balavṛtrahā ||
پھر شَکر (اِندر) نے اُس پَنّگ (ناگ) کو بہترین عمر عطا کی؛ مگر بَل اور وِرتَر کا قتال کرنے والے اِندر نے اسے اَمرت پینے والا (اَمرت پرَاشی) نہیں بنایا۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A boon can be generous yet bounded: Indra grants long life but withholds amṛta-based immortality, reflecting dharma as the maintenance of proportion and cosmic balance rather than indiscriminate reward.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Indra (Śakra) rewards a nāga by granting an excellent lifespan, but does not confer the status of an amṛta-eater; Indra is identified by his heroic epithet as the slayer of Bala and Vṛtra.