Shloka 38
Indra’s Envy at Pṛthu’s Aśvamedha and Brahmā’s Intervention
False Renunciation Exposed
स त्वं विमृश्यास्य भवं प्रजापते सङ्कल्पनं विश्वसृजां पिपीपृहि । ऐन्द्रीं च मायामुपधर्ममातरं प्रचण्डपाखण्डपथं प्रभो जहि ॥ ३८ ॥
sa tvaṁ vimṛśyāsya bhavaṁ prajāpate saṅkalpanaṁ viśva-sṛjāṁ pipīpṛhi aindrīṁ ca māyām upadharma-mātaraṁ pracaṇḍa-pākhaṇḍa-pathaṁ prabho jahi
يا براجابتي، حامي الرعية! تأمّل غاية تجسّدك وأتمِم عزم خالقي العالم. إن مَايَا إندرا هذه أمٌّ لكثير من الأديان الزائفة وطريقٌ عاتٍ من الدجل؛ يا ربّ، اتركها وأوقفها حالاً.
Lord Brahmā addresses King Pṛthu as prajāpate just to remind him of his great responsibility in maintaining the peace and prosperity of the citizens. Mahārāja Pṛthu was empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead for this purpose only. It is the duty of the ideal king to see that people are properly executing religious principles. Lord Brahmā especially requested King Pṛthu to conquer the pseudoreligious principles produced by King Indra. In other words, it is the duty of the state or king to put a stop to pseudoreligious systems produced by unscrupulous persons. Originally a religious principle is one, given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it comes through the channel of disciplic succession in two forms. Lord Brahmā requested Pṛthu Mahārāja to desist from his unnecessary competition with Indra, who was determined to stop Pṛthu Mahārāja from completing one hundred yajñas. Instead of creating adverse reactions, it was better for Mahārāja Pṛthu to stop the yajñas in the interest of his original purpose as an incarnation. This purpose was to establish good government and set things in the right order.
FAQs
This verse warns that illusion can generate “upadharma,” counterfeit religion, and urges abandoning the pakhaṇḍa path—hypocrisy and heresy—so that true dharma is protected.
In the context of Pṛthu’s sacrifice, Indra’s interference produced deceptive, misleading religious appearances; the priests appeal to Bhava/Śiva to thoughtfully support the resolve of the cosmic administrators and help remove the influence of that illusion.
Avoid performative spirituality and shortcuts that contradict core virtues; choose practices that cultivate sincerity, humility, and devotion rather than external show, sectarian deceit, or moral compromise.