नहुष उवाच
एवं भवतु सुश्रोणि यथा माम् अभिभाषसे ॥
ज्ञात्वा चागमनं कार्यं सत्यम् एतद् अनुस्मरेः ॥
शल्य उवाच
नहुषेण विसृष्टा च निश्चक्राम ततः शुभा ॥
बृहस्पतिनिकेतं सा जगाम च तपस्विनी ॥
तस्याः संश्रुत्य च वचो देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः ॥
मन्त्रयाम् आसुर् एकाग्राः शक्रार्थं राजसत्तम ॥
देवदेवेन संगम्य विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना ॥
ऊचुश् चैनं समुद्विग्ना वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदाः ॥
ब्रह्महत्याभिभूतो वै शक्रः सुरगणेश्वरः ॥
गतिश् च नस् त्वं देवेश पूर्वजो जगतः प्रभुः ॥
रक्षार्थं सर्वभूतानां विष्णुत्वम् उपजग्मिवान् ॥
nahuṣa uvāca
evaṃ bhavatu suśroṇi yathā mām abhibhāṣase ||
jñātvā cāgamanaṃ kāryaṃ satyam etad anusmareḥ ||
śalya uvāca
nahuṣeṇa visṛṣṭā ca niścakrāma tataḥ śubhā ||
bṛhaspatiniketaṃ sā jagāma ca tapasvinī ||
tasyāḥ saṃśrutya ca vaco devāḥ sāgnipurogamāḥ ||
mantrayām āsur ekāgrāḥ śakrārthaṃ rājasattama ||
devadevena saṃgamya viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā ||
ūcuś cainaṃ samudvignā vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradāḥ ||
brahmahatyābhibhūto vai śakraḥ suragaṇeśvaraḥ ||
gatiś ca nas tvaṃ deveśa pūrvajo jagataḥ prabhuḥ ||
rakṣārthaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ viṣṇutvam upajagmivān ||
‘You shall come to me once you have learned the news. I trust that you will remember the truth you have promised.’ Released by Nahusha, she departed with an auspicious countenance; and this renowned woman went to the abode of Brihaspati. And, O best of kings, the gods, with Agni at their head, upon hearing her words, deliberated on what would serve Indra’s interest. Then they went together to the mighty Vishnu, the God of gods. And the troubled gods, skilled in speech, addressed the following words to him: ‘Indra, lord of all the gods, has been overcome by the sin of killing a brahmin. You, O lord of the gods, are the firstborn, the ruler of the universe, and our refuge. You assumed the form of Vishnu for the protection of all beings. When Vritra was slain by your power, Indra became burdened with the sin of brahmin-slaying.’
5ed38fca7814 · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:31:48 AM UTC
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This passage (5.13.6-10) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort toward peace is already underway against the backdrop of an inevitable war. Dharma is revealed here through speech, through the choice of envoys, through fidelity to one’s word, and through the responsibility kings bear for the consequences of their decisions.