Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
भवान् धर्मपरो नित्यं भवान् धर्मे व्यवस्थित: । सनो रक्ष महाप्रज्ञ त्रिदशानिव वज्रभूत्
bhavān dharmaparo nityaṁ bhavān dharme vyavasthitaḥ | sano rakṣa mahāprajña tridaśāniva vajrabhūt ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Engkau senantiasa berpegang pada dharma dan teguh berdiri dalam kebenaran. Wahai yang berhikmat agung, lindungilah kami—sebagaimana Indra pemegang wajra melindungi para dewa.”
संजय उवाच
The verse praises steadfast commitment to dharma and frames protection of one’s people as a ruler’s ethical duty, using Indra’s protection of the gods as an ideal model of righteous guardianship.
Sañjaya addresses a respected figure (contextually a leader/king), affirming his consistent devotion to dharma and urging him to safeguard ‘us’—invoking the image of Indra with the vajra defending the devas to intensify the appeal for decisive, righteous protection.