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नहुषोपाख्यान (nahuSopAkhyAna)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Nahushopākhyāna]
(“the episode relating to Nahusha”). § 755b (Ānuśāsanik.): Nahusha, having acquired the sovereignty of heaven, performed both human and celestial acts, for instance bali and offering of incense and of light, etc.
and although he had become the chief of the gods, he yet worshipped the gods as in days of yore. But then he was filled with pride in consequence of the boon he had received from all the gods, and he ceased to perform religious actions
for a very long time he used to employ the Ṛ. by turns as the bearers of his vehicles
but in consequence of his abstention from religious acts his energy began to diminish
when it was Agastya's turn to carry the vehicle, Bhṛgu came to the hermitage of Agastya (Maitrāvaruṇi), and when the latter, mentioning Brahmán's boon to Nahusha (that whoever would come within the range of his eyesight would, deprived of all energy, be within his sway), and that Brahmán had given him aṃṛta to drink, despaired of being able to curse him, Bhṛgu said that he had come at the command of Brahmán, and that he would curse Nahusha to be a snake, when he insulted Agastya by a kick, and this very day he would hurl him down and re-establish Indra. Agastya became highly gratified (XIII, 99). Asked by Yudhishṭhira, Bhīshma continued [referring to and developing the beginning of XIII, 99: Nahusha's sacrificial rites and presents were obstructed by Rā.]: Nahusha ordered Ṛ. Agastya to carry the vehicle from the banks of Sarasvatī. Bhṛgu, telling Agastya to close his eyes, had entered the matted locks of Agastya, taking care not to cast his eyes upon Nahusha. Nahusha urged Agastya on with his goad and then struck him on the head with his left foot. Then Nahusha was cursed by Bhṛgu and transformed into a snake, but, in consequence of his gifts, etc., he retained his memory, and, assisted by Agastya, pacified Bhṛgu, who said that Yudhishṭhira would rescue him, and then went to the abode of Brahmán and informed him, while Agastya returned to his own hermitage. Brahmán once more installed (caused the gods to instal) Indra in the sovereignty of heaven. “Thou hast, O king, rescued Nahusha from Bhṛgu's curse
he ascended to the abode of Brahmán before thy eyes
in consequence of the merits he had acquired through acts of the kind I have mentioned, he succeeded in once more regaining his lost position. Hence, when evening comes, persons leading the domestic mode of life, should give lamps” (XIII, 100).