Shloka 20
महाभारत &७७ स्वयं श्रीकृष्ण शोकमग्न युधिष्ठिरको समझा रहे हैं यः स्पर्थयायजच्छक्रं देवराजं पुरंदरम् शक्रप्रियैषी यं विद्वान् प्रत्याचष्ट बृहस्पति:
yaḥ spṛthayā yajac chakraṃ devarājaṃ purandaram | śakra-priyaiṣī yaṃ vidvān pratyācaṣṭa bṛhaspatiḥ ||
Vāyu said: “He who, out of rivalry and ambition, performed sacrifices to win over Śakra—Indra, the king of the gods and slayer of fortresses—was, though learned, reproved and checked by Bṛhaspati, for he sought what was dear to Indra.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even learned people can fall into adharma when religious acts are driven by rivalry and the pursuit of favor or power; true merit depends on intention aligned with restraint and dharma, not competitive display.
Vāyu cites an example involving Indra (Śakra) and Bṛhaspati: someone performs sacrifices competitively to gain Indra’s favor, and Bṛhaspati intervenes to admonish and restrain that misguided pursuit.