Shloka 20
Śoka-śamana: Kṛṣṇa’s Consolation and Nārada’s Exempla to Sṛñjaya
Chapter 29
महाभारत &७७ स्वयं श्रीकृष्ण शोकमग्न युधिष्ठिरको समझा रहे हैं यः स्पर्थयायजच्छक्रं देवराजं पुरंदरम् शक्रप्रियैषी यं विद्वान् प्रत्याचष्ट बृहस्पति:
yaḥ spṛthayā yajac chakraṃ devarājaṃ purandaram | śakra-priyaiṣī yaṃ vidvān pratyācaṣṭa bṛhaspatiḥ ||
Vāyu dit : «Celui qui, par rivalité et ambition, accomplit des sacrifices pour gagner Śakra—Indra, roi des dieux et briseur de forteresses—fut, bien qu’érudit, repris et retenu par Bṛhaspati, car il recherchait ce qui plaisait à Indra.»
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even learned people can fall into adharma when religious acts are driven by rivalry and the pursuit of favor or power; true merit depends on intention aligned with restraint and dharma, not competitive display.
Vāyu cites an example involving Indra (Śakra) and Bṛhaspati: someone performs sacrifices competitively to gain Indra’s favor, and Bṛhaspati intervenes to admonish and restrain that misguided pursuit.