Shloka 43
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
ततः प्रीतस्तु दैत्येन्द्रो भयमस्या भवन्महत् | वरे प्रदिष्टे विप्रेण नाल्पतेजायमित्युत
tataḥ prītastu daityendro bhayam asyā bhavan mahat | vare pradiṣṭe vipreṇa nālpatejāyam ity uta ||
Al oírlo, el señor de los Daityas se alegró; pero en su interior surgió un gran temor. Cuando el brahmán declaró su deseo como don, el rey daitya pensó: «Éste no es un hombre de poder espiritual ordinario».
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one is pleased, dharmic prudence requires discernment: a request for a boon can carry hidden consequences, and true spiritual power (tejas) commands respect and caution. The verse highlights ethical vigilance—do not grant or accept commitments blindly.
The Daitya-king, though gratified by what he has heard, becomes inwardly anxious when a brāhmaṇa asks for a boon. He suspects the brāhmaṇa is extraordinarily potent and that the boon-request may not be simple or harmless.