Shloka 26

Origins of the Maruts — Origins of the Maruts Across the Manvantaras (Pulastya–Narada Dialogue)

Devanagari script

आराधयन्तो ब्रह्मणं पदमैन्द्रमथेप्सवः ततो विपश्चिन्नामाथ सहस्राक्षो भयातुरः

Transliteration

ārādhayanto brahmaṇaṃ padamaindramathepsavaḥ tato vipaścinnāmātha sahasrākṣo bhayāturaḥ

Translation

Seeking the Indra-status, they propitiated Brahmā. Then Sahasrākṣa (Indra), distressed by fear, (took notice)—and (one among them was) named Vipaścit.

Speakers

• Narrator continuing the account to the addressed sage

Primary Deities

• Brahmā
• Indra

Key Themes

• Aspiration to divine office (Indra-pada)
• Tapas and ārādhana as means to boons
• Indra’s fear of being displaced (a recurring Purāṇic motif)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Why does Indra become fearful when others perform tapas aiming at ‘Indra’s post’?

Purāṇic narrative frequently portrays Indra’s sovereignty as conditional and contestable: intense tapas can earn boons that threaten cosmic hierarchy. Indra’s fear functions as a plot-device that tests ascetics and preserves dharmic order.

Is “brahmaṇam” here Brahmā or impersonal Brahman?

Given the explicit goal of obtaining ‘aindram padam’ (Indra’s office), the text typically implies propitiation of the deity Brahmā as boon-giver within the administrative cosmos, rather than abstract Brahman.

What is the significance of the name Vipaścit?

Vipaścit literally means ‘the discerning/wise.’ Such names often signal a leading figure among ascetics or a principal claimant whose tapas is especially potent—hence Indra’s heightened anxiety.