Devanagari
तावत्त्रिणाकं नहुष: शशास
विद्यातपोयोगबलानुभाव: ।
स सम्पदैश्वर्यमदान्धबुद्धि-
र्नीतस्तिरश्चां गतिमिन्द्रपत्न्या ॥ १६ ॥
Verse text
tāvat triṇākaṁ nahuṣaḥ śaśāsa
vidyā-tapo-yoga-balānubhāvaḥ
sa sampad-aiśvarya-madāndha-buddhir
nītas tiraścāṁ gatim indra-patnyā
Synonyms
tāvat
—
for so long
;
triṇākam
—
the heavenly planet
;
nahuṣaḥ
—
Nahuṣa
;
śaśāsa
—
ruled
;
vidyā
—
by education
;
tapaḥ
—
austerities
;
yoga
—
mystic power
;
bala
—
and strength
;
anubhāvaḥ
—
being equipped
;
saḥ
—
he (Nahuṣa)
;
sampat
—
of so much wealth
;
aiśvarya
—
and opulence
;
mada
—
by the madness
;
andha
—
blinded
;
buddhiḥ
—
his intelligence
;
nītaḥ
—
was brought
;
tiraścām
—
of a snake
;
gatim
—
to the destination
;
indra
—
patnyā — by Indra’s wife Śacīdevī .
Translation
As long as King Indra lived in the water, wrapped in the stem of the lotus, Nahuṣa was equipped with the ability to rule the heavenly kingdom, due to his knowledge, austerity and mystic power. Nahuṣa, however, blinded and maddened by power and opulence, made undesirable proposals to Indra’s wife with a desire to enjoy her. Thus Nahuṣa was cursed by a brāhmaṇa and later became a snake.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
As long as King Indra lived in the water, Nahuṣa ruled the heavenly kingdom, due to his knowledge, austerity and mystic power. Nahuṣa, however, became blinded by pride in his wealth, and took the body of a snake because of the instruction of Indra’s wife.
Tri-nākam means Svarga. “How can a human rule Svarga?” Nahuṣa was endowed with knowledge, austerity and yogic power. This means he was capable of enlisting all powers and was capable of protecting Svarga. Why then did Indra again rule Svarga? Nahuṣa’s intelligence became blind with pride in his wealth. He had to take a snake’s body because of Indra’s wife. Nahuṣa one time spoke to Indra’s wife. “I am now Indra. Therefore you should serve me.” When he told her this, she spoke to Brḥaspati. He said, “Tell him that you will worship him if he comes carried by brāhmaṇas. Then he will fall down because of a brāhmaṇa’s curse.” She informed Nahuṣa, and he came, carried by Agastya and other sages. Saying “Go quickly (sarpa)” Nahuṣa touched Agastya with his foot. He was then cursed by the angry sage and became a snake (sarpa).