Shloka 2
इन्द्रस्य दुःखप्राप्तिः—त्रिशिरोवधः, वृत्रोत्पत्तिः, जृम्भिकाजननम्
Indra’s Distress: Slaying of Triśiras, Birth of Vṛtra, and the Origin of Yawning
शल्य उवाच शृणु राजन् पुरावृत्तमितिहासं पुरातनम् । सभार्येण यथा प्राप्तं दु:खमिन्द्रेण भारत,शल्यने कहा--भरतवंशी नरेश! यह पूर्वकालमें घटित पुरातन इतिहास है। पत्नीसहित इन्द्रने जिस प्रकार महान् दुःख प्राप्त किया था, वह बताता हूँ, सुनो
śalya uvāca śṛṇu rājan purāvṛttam itihāsaṁ purātanam | sabhāryeṇa yathā prāptaṁ duḥkham indreṇa bhārata ||
Śalya said: “O King, listen to an ancient legend from former times. O Bhārata, I shall recount how Indra, together with his wife, came to suffer great sorrow—hear it from me.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Śalya frames an ancient exemplum to instruct a king: even the mighty (Indra) can fall into suffering, implying that power does not exempt one from the consequences of actions and that rulers should heed moral counsel.
Śalya begins a traditional story, asking the king to listen. He announces that he will narrate how Indra, along with his wife, encountered great sorrow—setting up a cautionary tale within the Udyoga Parva context of counsel and decision-making.