Shloka 49
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
इत्युक्त्वान्तहितं तद् वै शक्रं चान्वाविशत् प्रभो | तस्मिंस्तेजसि याते तु तादृग्रूपस्ततो5पर:
ity uktvāntahitaṃ tad vai śakraṃ cānvāviśat prabho | tasmiṃs tejasi yāte tu tādṛg-rūpas tato 'paraḥ ||
Nachdem er so gesprochen hatte, verschwand jenes Wesen aus dem Blick und ging in Śakra (Indra) ein, o Herr. Und als jener Glanz in ihn übergegangen war, erschien darauf ein anderer, der eine Gestalt annahm, die der früheren glich—als deute dies auf eine geheimnisvolle Abfolge von Gegenwarten und auf die feine, verwandelnde Macht göttlicher Energie hin.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the subtlety of divine power (tejas): it can withdraw from perception, merge into a deity like Indra, and yet manifest again in another comparable form—implying that outward appearance is not a reliable measure of inner reality or spiritual agency.
After speaking, a certain presence disappears and enters into Śakra (Indra). Once that radiance has merged, another figure appears with a similar form, indicating a succession or replacement of manifestations connected with the same spiritual energy.