Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 20
भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः
Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum
तां दृष्ट्वा शोकसन्तप्तां वज्रपाणिर्यशस्विनीम्।इन्द्रः प्राञ्जलिरुद्विग्न स्सुरराजोऽब्रवीद्वचः।।।।
tāṁ dṛṣṭvā śokasantaptāṁ vajrapāṇir yaśasvinīm | indraḥ prāñjalir udvignaḥ surarājo ’bravīd vacaḥ ||
Melihat Surabhī (Kāmadhenu) yang termasyhur itu dilalap duka, Indra—raja para dewa, pemegang vajra—dengan cemas merangkapkan tangan dan mengucapkan kata-kata ini.
The king of the gods, Indra, wielder of thunderbolt, saw the renowned Kamadhenu consumed with grief. Alarmed, he said to her with palms joined in reverence:
FAQs
Respect for suffering and the duty to inquire compassionately: even the powerful (Indra) responds with humility (folded hands) before grief.
A moral exemplum is introduced: Indra notices Surabhi/Kāmadhenu grieving and approaches her with reverence to learn the cause.
Indra’s humility and empathetic vigilance—power is shown as accountable to dharma through compassion.