Shloka 24
तत् तु कर्म समारब्धं॑ दृष्टवेन्द्र: क्रोधमूर्च्छित: । उद्यम्य विपुलं शैलं च्यवनं समुपाद्रवत्
tat tu karma samārabdhaṃ dṛṣṭvendraḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ | udyamya vipulaṃ śailaṃ cyavanaṃ samupādravat ||
But when Indra saw that sacrificial rite being set in motion, he was overcome by anger. Lifting up a massive mountain, he rushed straight toward the sage Cyavana.
च्यवन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse cautions that anger (krodha) clouds judgment and can lead even the mighty to oppose righteous action. It implicitly upholds restraint and respect for dharmic rites and sages, suggesting that power without self-control becomes destructive.
Cyavana narrates that Indra, seeing a ritual being initiated, becomes enraged, lifts a huge mountain as a weapon, and charges toward Cyavana—setting up a confrontation between divine authority and ascetic/ritual authority.