Shloka 22
Nahūṣa’s Fall Explained: Agastya’s Account to Indra (Śalya-narrated)
उपागम्याब्रुवन् सर्वे दिष्ट्या वर्धसि शरत्रुहन् । हतश्च नहुषः पापो दिष्ट्यागस्त्येन धीमता । दिष्ट्या पापसमाचार: कृत: सर्पो महीतले
upāgamyābruvan sarve diṣṭyā vardhasi śatrūhan | hataś ca nahuṣaḥ pāpo diṣṭyāgastyena dhīmatā | diṣṭyā pāpasamācāraḥ kṛtaḥ sarpo mahītale ||
وہ سب کے سب اندَر کے پاس آ کر بولے—“اے شَتْرُہَن! تمہاری ترقی ہو رہی ہے، یہ بڑی سعادت ہے۔ دانا اگستیہ نے گنہگار نہوش کو دبا دیا؛ اور اس بدکردار کو زمین پر سانپ بنا دیا گیا—یہ بھی ہمارے لیے خوشی اور نیک بختی ہے۔”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that immoral conduct (pāpa-samācāra) leads to downfall and transformation into a degraded state, while the correction of wrongdoing by a wise authority (Agastya) is celebrated as the restoration of dharma and social-cosmic order.
A group approaches Indra and congratulates him, rejoicing that the sinful Nahuṣa has been subdued by the sage Agastya and reduced to the condition of a serpent on earth—an event presented as a fortunate turning point.