Shloka 15

Adhyāya 12: Devas’ Petition to Nahūṣa; Bṛhaspati on Śaraṇāgata-Dharma; Indrāṇī’s Strategic Delay

Devanagari script

नाहमिच्छामि नहुषं पतिं देवर्षिसत्तम । शरणागतासि्मि ते ब्रह्मंंस्त्रायस्व महतो भयात्‌

Transliteration

nāham icchāmi nahuṣaṃ patiṃ devarṣi-sattama | śaraṇāgatāsmi te brahman trāyasva mahato bhayāt ||

Translation

“天界仙圣中最尊者、婆罗门大贤啊！我不愿以那胡沙为夫；因此我来投你庇护。请救我脱离这巨大的恐惧。”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: common, nominative, singular

• इच्छामि: desire / wish
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ्)
• Form: present (lat), 1st, singular, parasmaipada

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• नहुषम्: Nahusha
• नहुषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नहुष
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• पतिम्: husband
• पतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• देवर्षि-सत्तम: O best of divine seers
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि + सत्तम
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• आगता: come / having come
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: past passive participle (kta), feminine, nominative, singular

• अस्मि: am
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: present (lat), 1st, singular, parasmaipada

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: common, dative, singular

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin / O venerable one
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• त्रायस्व: protect (me)!
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा
• Form: imperative (lot), 2nd, singular, parasmaipada

• महतः: from great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: masculine/neuter, ablative, singular

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nahuṣa
• Devarṣi (divine seer)
• Brahman (Brahmin sage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Seeking refuge (śaraṇāgati) with the righteous is upheld as a dharmic recourse, and the one approached—especially a sage—bears a moral duty to protect the suppliant from fear, coercion, and injustice.

What is happening in the narrative?

A woman, fearing being forced into marriage with Nahusha, rejects him explicitly and approaches a revered seer/Brahmin for asylum, requesting protection from the danger she faces.