Shloka 5
Paurava-vaṃśa-kathana (Account of the Paurava Lineage) | महाभारत आदि पर्व अध्याय ८९
इन्द्र उवाच सतां सकाशे पतितासि राजं- क्ष्युतः प्रतिष्ठां यत्र लब्धासि भूय: । एतद् विदित्वा च पुनर्ययाते त्वं मावमंस्था: सदृश: श्रेयसश्ल॒
indra uvāca: satāṃ sakāśe patitāsi rājan, kṣyutaḥ pratiṣṭhāṃ yatra labdhāsi bhūyaḥ | etad viditvā ca punar yayāte tvaṃ māvamamsthāḥ sadṛśaḥ śreyasaś ca ||
Indra sprach: „O König, du wirst von hier in die Gemeinschaft der Tugendhaften fallen; und dort wirst du die verlorene Ehre wiedererlangen. Da du dies weißt, o Yayāti, zeige nie wieder Verachtung gegenüber denen, die dir gleich sind—oder denen, die dir überlegen sind.“
इन्द्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Honor and status are sustained by humility and right conduct: one should not insult equals or superiors. Even if one falls from a high position, association with the virtuous can restore true reputation.
Indra addresses King Yayāti, foretelling his fall from the celestial state and assuring him that among virtuous people he will regain lost honor; Indra then warns him not to repeat the fault of contempt toward peers and elders.