Shloka 45
Nakula’s Declaration and the Uñchavṛtti Brāhmaṇa’s Superior Merit (Āśvamedhika Parva, Adhyāya 92)
जितो<स्मीति भृगुश्रेष्ठ भूगवो ह्ृतिरोषणा: । लोके मिथ्या प्रवादो<यं यतक्त्वयास्मि विनिर्जित:
jito ’smīti bhṛguśreṣṭha bhṛgavo hṛtirōṣaṇāḥ | loke mithyā pravādo ’yaṃ yat tvayāsmi vinirjitaḥ ||
“Hỡi bậc ưu tú nhất trong dòng Bhṛgu, ta đã bại. Ta từng nghe rằng các brāhmaṇa thuộc huyết hệ Bhṛgu dữ dội trong cơn giận; nhưng hôm nay lời đồn ấy trước mắt thế gian đã thành hư vọng—bởi chính ngươi đã chiến thắng ta.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical victory through self-control: true superiority is shown not by anger or harshness but by restraint and conduct that overturns negative stereotypes, making public opinion yield to lived virtue.
A speaker acknowledges defeat before a Bhṛgu-descended Brahmin/sage, remarking that the widespread belief that Bhṛgu Brahmins are quick-tempered is disproved in this encounter, since the sage’s composed behavior has ‘conquered’ him.