Shloka 57
Gautama–Śakra Saṃvāda: Karma, Loka-bheda, and the Restoration of the Elephant
गौतम उवाच श्वेतं करेणुं मम पुत्र हि नागं य॑ मेडहार्षीदेशवर्षाणि बालम् | यो मे वने वसतो< भूद् द्वितीय- स्तमेव मे देहि सुरेन्द्र नागम्
gautama uvāca—śvetaṃ kareṇuṃ mama putra hi nāgaṃ ya medhārṣīdeśavarṣāṇi bālam | yo me vane vasato bhūd dvitīyas tam eva me dehi surendra nāgam ||
Gautama berkata: “Wahai Indra! Gajah putih ini—anak kandungku sendiri—meskipun kini telah membesar menjadi gajah muda, namun usianya baru sepuluh tahun. Hidup bersamaku di rimba, dialah diriku yang kedua, sahabat dan pembantu. Engkau telah membawanya pergi; maka, wahai tuan para dewa, pulangkan kepadaku gajah itu juga.”
गौतम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharma as respect for rightful bonds and non-injury: even a powerful deity should heed justice and compassion when an ascetic’s dependent (here, a ‘son’ in the form of an elephant) is taken. Moral authority is asserted through truthful, restrained petition rather than force.
Gautama addresses Indra directly, identifying the seized white elephant as his own son and forest-companion. He emphasizes the elephant’s youth and intimate dependence, then requests that Indra return the very same elephant.