Shloka 12
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 13: Śacī’s Delay, Deva-Counsel, and Indra’s Purification
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत उद्योगपर्वके अन्तर्गत सेनोट्यीगपर्वमें इन्द्राणीकी नहुषसे समययाचनासे सम्बन्ध रखनेवाला बारहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,'देवेश्वर! देवसमुदायके स्वामी इन्द्र ब्रह्महत्यासे अभिभूत होकर कहीं छिप गये हैं। भगवन्! आप ही हमारे आश्रय और सम्पूर्ण जगतके पूर्वज तथा प्रभु हैं ।। रक्षार्थ सर्वभूतानां विष्णुत्वमुपजग्मिवान् । त्वद्वीर्यनिहते वृत्रे वासवो ब्रह्मृहत्यया
deveśvara! devasamūdāyake svāmī indra brahmahatyābhibhūtaḥ kvacid guhitaḥ. bhagavan! tvam eva asmākam āśrayaḥ samasta-jagataḥ pūrvajaḥ prabhuś ca. rakṣārthaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ viṣṇutvam upajagmivān; tvad-vīrya-nihate vṛtre vāsavo brahmahatyayā (abhibhūtaḥ).
Wahai Tuhan para dewa! Indra, penguasa bala para dewa, telah ditindih oleh dosa membunuh brahmana lalu bersembunyi entah di mana. Wahai Yang Mulia, hanya Engkaulah tempat perlindungan kami—leluhur purba dan penguasa seluruh alam. Demi melindungi segala makhluk, Engkau mengambil keadaan sebagai Viṣṇu; namun walaupun Vṛtra ditewaskan oleh kekuatan-Mu, Vāsava (Indra) tetap juga dicengkam noda brahmahatyā.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even actions that appear necessary or divinely sanctioned can carry ethical residue; dharma includes accountability and the need for purification. Power must be exercised with awareness of moral consequence, and refuge is sought in the higher sustaining principle (here, Viṣṇu) when order is shaken.
Śalya recounts a mythic situation: Indra, after the killing associated with Vṛtra, becomes afflicted by brahmahatyā and disappears in fear and shame. The gods appeal to the supreme Lord as their refuge, emphasizing that cosmic protection and restoration of order depend on the higher divine agency.