Shloka 2
Cyavana’s Reconciliation with Indra; Tīrtha-Indexing at Ārcīka-parvata and Yamunā
Chapter 125
भयात् संस्तम्भितभुज: सृक्किणी लेलिहन् मुहुः । ततोअब्रवीद् देवराजश्व्यवनं भयपीडित:
bhayāt saṁstambhitabhujaḥ sṛkkīṇī lelihan muhuḥ | tato 'bravīd devarājaś cyavanaṁ bhayapīḍitaḥ ||
Lomaśa said: Struck with fear, his arms rigid and his tongue repeatedly licking the corners of his mouth, Indra—the king of the gods, tormented by terror—then spoke to Cyavana. Seeing the dreadful Mada-demon advancing to swallow him like Death itself, Indra, shaken by the fear of destruction, sought refuge in a righteous pledge: from that day the two Aśvin twins would be entitled to drink Soma; and he affirmed the truth of his word to win the sage’s favor.
लोगमश उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the mighty are bound by dharma and truth: fear exposes vulnerability, and lasting resolution comes through a righteous pledge (satya-vacana) and honoring legitimate claims—here, granting the Aśvins their due share in Soma.
Indra, terrified by the approach of the dreadful Mada-demon, becomes physically shaken and, in that fearful state, addresses the sage Cyavana, promising that the Aśvin twins will henceforth be entitled to drink Soma, seeking the sage’s appeasement and protection.