Shloka 28
इन्द्रस्य दुःखप्राप्तिः—त्रिशिरोवधः, वृत्रोत्पत्तिः, जृम्भिकाजननम्
Indra’s Distress: Slaying of Triśiras, Birth of Vṛtra, and the Origin of Yawning
तदरण्यं महाराज यत्रास्तेडसौ निपातितः । स भीततस्तत्र तक्षाणं घटमानं शचीपति:
tad araṇyaṃ mahārāja yatrāste ’sau nipātitaḥ | sa bhītas tatra takṣāṇaṃ ghaṭamānaṃ śacīpatiḥ ||
Dijo Śalya: «Oh gran rey, en aquel mismo bosque donde yacía abatido, el señor de Śacī (Indra), presa del temor, vio allí a un carpintero ocupado en su labor». El verso dispone la escena de la intervención ansiosa de Indra en el lugar del cuerpo caído y sugiere una tensión moral: incluso un dios poderoso, cuando teme las consecuencias, recurre a medidas prácticas inmediatas por medio de la agencia humana.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that fear and concern for consequences can drive even the mighty to seek quick, practical remedies through ordinary agents. It implicitly contrasts power with vulnerability: status does not eliminate accountability or anxiety when outcomes threaten one’s interests.
Śalya describes the scene: at the forest location where the slain figure lies, Indra—afraid—comes upon a carpenter working there. This sets up Indra’s imminent instruction to the carpenter (continued in the following lines) regarding what should be done at the site.