Shloka 24
कालनिर्णयः, युगधर्मवर्णनम्, सृष्टिक्रमश्च
Time-Reckoning, Yuga-Dharma, and the Sequence of Creation
इच्छन्नहं विकुर्या हि रूपाणि बहुधा55त्मन: । विभीषणानि यानीक्ष्य पलायेथास्त्वमेव मे,मैं चाहूँ तो अपने बहुत-से ऐसे भयानक रूप प्रकट कर सकता हूँ, जिन्हें देखकर तुम्हीं मेरे निकटसे भाग खड़े होओगे
icchann ahaṃ vikuryā hi rūpāṇi bahudhātmanaḥ | vibhīṣaṇāni yānīkṣya palāyethās tvam eva me ||
If I so wished, I could indeed assume many forms at will—forms so terrifying that, on seeing them, you yourself would flee from me.
श॒क्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical restraint expected of the powerful: even when one possesses the capacity to overwhelm others through fearsome displays, wisdom lies in self-control and measured revelation of power rather than intimidation.
Śakra (Indra) speaks to his interlocutor, asserting his ability to manifest many dreadful forms. The statement functions as a warning and a demonstration of divine capability, implying that the listener’s confidence or proximity depends on the god’s restraint.