“Salya continued, ‘Vrihaspati having spoken so, the gods, delighted then said, “Well hast thou said, O Brahmana. This is for the good of all the gods. It is no doubt so. Only, let this goddess be propitiated.” Then the assembled gods led by Agni, with a view to the welfare of all the worlds, spoke to Indra’s queen in a quiet way. And the gods said, “Thou art supporting the whole universe of things mobile and immobile. Thou art chaste and true: go thou to Nahusha. That vicious being, lustful after thee, will shortly fall: and Indra, O goddess, will get the sovereignty of the gods!” Ascertaining this to be the result of that deliberation, Indra’s queen, for attaining her end, went bashfully to Nahusha of awful mien. The vicious Nahusha also, rendered senseless by lust, saw how youthful and lovely she was, and became highly pleased.’”Mbh 5.12.6 · Mahabharata · UDYOGA PARVA
Mbh 5.12.6
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
Service in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Hellenism and Taoism address it.
Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it:Ezekiel 29:18 · Bible · Ezekiel
Ye serve instead of Allah only idols, and ye only invent a lie. Lo! those whom ye serve instead of Allah own no provision for you. So seek your provision from Allah, and serve Him, and give thanks unto Him, (for) unto Him ye will be brought back.Quran 29:17 · Quran
When he had said this, he seated himself beside Alcinous. Supper was then served, and the wine was mixed for drinking. A servant led in the favourite bard Demodocus, and set him in the midst of the company, near one of the bearing-posts supporting the cloister, that he might lean against it. Then Ulysses cut off a piece of roast pork with plenty of fat (for there was abundance left on the joint) and said to a servant, “Take this piece of pork over to Demodocus and tell him to eat it; for all the pain his lays may cause me I will salute him none the less; bards are honoured and respected throughout the world, for the muse teaches them their songs and loves them.”Odyssey 8.45 · Odyssey · 8
For regulating the human (in our constitution) and rendering the (proper) service to the heavenly, there is nothing like moderation.Tao Te Ching 59.1 · Tao Te Ching
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