Shloka 22
चोदितस्तु महेन्द्रेण मतड्: प्राब्रवीदिदम् । वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! तब बल और वृत्रासुरको मारनेवाले इन्द्रने मतड़से कहा--“तुम मुझसे वर माँगो।” महेन्द्रसे प्रेरित होकर मतड़ने इस प्रकार कहा -- २१ $ || यथा कामविहारी स्यां कामरूपी विहड्भरम:
coditas tu mahendreṇa mataḍaḥ prābravīd idam |
Vaiśampāyana said: Urged by Mahendra (Indra), Mataḍa spoke these words. Indra—renowned for strength and for slaying Vṛtra—invited Mataḍa to ask for a boon, and Mataḍa spoke as follows.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse introduces a boon-offering scene, highlighting an ethical hinge-point: when power or divine favor is offered, the recipient’s choice of desire becomes a test of values—self-restraint versus indulgence, and dharmic intention versus mere gratification.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Indra (Mahendra) prompts Mataḍa to speak—contextually after Indra invites him to ask for a boon—so Mataḍa begins stating his request in the subsequent lines.