Nahusha
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Nahusha (Sanskrit: नहुष) was son of Ayu, the eldest of Pururavas, and father of Yayati. This king is mentioned by Manu as having come into conflict with the Brahmans, and his story is repeated several times with variations in different parts of the Mahabharata as well as in the Puranas. According to Manu "By sacrifices, austere fervour, sacred study, self-restraint, and valour, Nahusha acquired the undisturbed sovereignty of the three worlds.. Through want of virtuous humility the great king Nahusha was utterly ruined".
One version of the story says that he aspired to the possession of Indrani, wife of Indra, when that god had concealed himself for having killed a Brahman. A thousand great Rishis bore the car of Nahusha through the air, and on one occasion he touched with his foot the great Agastya, who carrying him. The sage in his anger cried out, "Fall, thou serpent," and Nahusha fell from his glorious car and became a serpent. Interestingly, Nahash is the biblical Hebrew word for serpent.
Agastya, at the supplication of Nahusha, put a limit to the curse; and according to one version, the doomed man was released from it by the instrumentality of Yudhishthira, when he threw off "his huge reptile form, became clothed in a celestial body, and ascended to heaven."
Sister Nivedita also has mentioned about the king Nahusa in one story "The Worth of Kine" in relation to rishi Chyavana who was caught in net while fishing in river by fishermen along with fish. The fishermen took the rishi Chyavana to king Nahusha and asked to pay the price of fish and the rishi. Nahusha offered a cow for Chyavana.
[edit] References
- Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology
- Sister Nivedita & Ananda K.Coomaraswamy: Myths and Legends of the Hindus and Bhuddhists, Kolkata, 2001 ISBN 81-7505-197-3
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