Shloka 1.39.4
सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम् — The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara
शङ्करश्वशुरो नाम हिमवानचलोत्तम:।विंध्यपर्वतमासाद्य निरीक्षेते परस्परम्।।1.39.4।।
te prasādya mahātmānaṁ viṣaṇṇavadanās tadā |
ūcuḥ paramasantrastāḥ pitāmaham idaṁ vacaḥ || 1.39.23 ||
Having propitiated the great-souled Brahmā, they then—downcast in face and greatly frightened—spoke these words to Pitāmaha.
"Sankara's father-in-law named Himavan is the greatest mountain. Himavan and Vindhya came close and began looking at one another. (because both are of extreme height and in between them there was no obstruction).
Dharma includes proper approach: one seeks redress through reverence and truthful speech to a legitimate authority, not through retaliation.
The distressed beings formally address Brahmā after showing due respect, preparing to report the harm occurring below.
Reverence and self-restraint: fear does not lead them to wrongdoing; it leads them to a lawful appeal.