तावत्त्रिणाकं नहुष: शशास विद्यातपोयोगबलानुभाव: । स सम्पदैश्वर्यमदान्धबुद्धि- र्नीतस्तिरश्चां गतिमिन्द्रपत्न्या ॥ १६ ॥
tavat trinakam nahusah sasasa vidya-tapo-yoga-balanubhavah sa sampad-aisvarya-madandha-buddhir nitas tirascam gatim indra-patnya
- tavat
- for so long
- trinakam
- the heavenly planet
- nahusah
- Nahusa
- sasasa
- ruled
- vidya
- by education
- tapah
- austerities
- yoga
- mystic power
- bala
- and strength
- anubhavah
- being equipped
- sah
- he (Nahusa)
- sampat
- of so much wealth
- aisvarya
- and opulence
- mada
- by the madness
- andha
- blinded
- buddhih
- his intelligence
- nitah
- was brought
- tirascam
- of a snake
- gatim
- to the destination
- indra-patnya
- by Indra’s wife Sacidevi
As long as King Indra lived in the water, wrapped in the stem of the lotus, Nahusa was equipped with the ability to rule the heavenly kingdom, due to his knowledge, austerity and mystic power. Nahusa, however, blinded and maddened by power and opulence, made undesirable proposals to Indra’s wife with a desire to enjoy her. Thus Nahusa was cursed by a brahmana and later became a snake.