Shloka 24

नहुषोपाख्यानम्—दीपदान-धूप-बलीकर्म-प्रशंसा

Nahūṣa Episode and the Commendation of Lamp-Gifting and Household Offerings

Devanagari script

शशाप बलवत्क़ुद्धो नहुषं पापचेतसम्‌ | यस्मात्‌ पदा55हत: क्रोधाच्छिरसीमं महामुनिम्‌

Transliteration

śaśāpa balavat kruddho nahuṣaṁ pāpacetasam | yasmāt padāhatāḥ krodhāc chirasīmaṁ mahāmunim ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Đại hiền ấy, giận dữ dữ dội và uy lực phi thường, liền giáng lời nguyền lên Nahuṣa, kẻ đã để tâm trí sa vào tội lỗi. Bởi trong cơn phẫn nộ, Nahuṣa đã dùng chân đá vào đầu vị đại khổ hạnh đáng tôn kính kia.

Word by Word

• शशाप: cursed
• शशाप: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• बलवत्: powerful, strongly
• बलवत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नहुषम्: Nahusha
• नहुषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नहुष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पापचेतसम्: evil-minded
• पापचेतसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापचेतस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यस्मात्: because of which / since
• यस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• पदा: with the foot
• पदा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• हतः: struck
• हतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle

• क्रोधात्: out of anger
• क्रोधात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महामुनिम्: the great sage
• महामुनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Nahuṣa
• mahāmuni (the great sage, traditionally Agastya in this episode)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Uncontrolled anger and pride—especially when directed against the virtuous—constitute adharma and bring immediate moral repercussions; reverence toward sages and self-restraint are essential safeguards of righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recounts how Nahuṣa, overcome by anger and wrongdoing, struck a great sage on the head with his foot; in response, the enraged sage cursed Nahuṣa, setting in motion his downfall.