Shloka 17

Nahuṣa Abhiṣeka and the Crisis of Restraint (नहुषाभिषेकः—दमभ्रंशः)

Devanagari script

सतां संदृश्य दुष्टात्मा प्राह सर्वानू सभासद:

Transliteration

satāṁ saṁdṛśya duṣṭātmā prāha sarvānū sabhāsadaḥ | āgacchatu śacī mahāṁ kṣipram adya niveśanam ||

Translation

见到贤善之士的集会，心怀邪恶的那胡沙对众臣说道：“让舍稚（Śacī），因陀罗之王后，今日速速到我居所来。因陀罗的王后为何不来侍奉我？我乃诸天之因陀罗，亦为一切世界之主宰；故舍稚女神当即刻来我宫中！”

Word by Word

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• संदृश्य: having seen
• संदृश्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• दुष्टात्मा: the wicked-souled one
• दुष्टात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट-आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राह: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह् (ब्रू/अह्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उ: indeed/and (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ

• सभासदः: the assembly-members/courtiers
• सभासदः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभा-सद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आगच्छतु: let (her) come
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शची: Śacī
• शची: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• निवेशनम्: dwelling/house
• निवेशनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवेशन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya
• Nahusha
• Śacī (Indrāṇī)
• Indra
• devas (gods)
• sabhā (assembly)
• niveśana (palace/residence)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that power without self-restraint turns into adharma: Nahusha’s pride makes him claim Indra’s position and demand Śacī’s submission, showing how arrogance and desire lead to ethical collapse and social disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nahusha, described as wicked-minded, addresses the assembled courtiers and orders that Śacī, Indra’s queen, be brought quickly to his palace, asserting that he is now Indra and lord of the worlds.