Shloka 1
Yayāti Episode: Indra’s Anxiety, the Messenger Motif, and a Discourse on Time (Kāla) and Karma
सुकर्मोवाच । यथेंद्रोसौ महाप्राज्ञः सदा भीतो महात्मनः । ययातेर्विक्रमं दृष्ट्वा दानपुण्यादिकं बहु
sukarmovāca | yatheṃdrosau mahāprājñaḥ sadā bhīto mahātmanaḥ | yayātervikramaṃ dṛṣṭvā dānapuṇyādikaṃ bahu
Sukarma berkata: “Setelah melihat keperkasaan Yayāti serta banyaknya jasa kebajikan seperti sedekah dan amalan suci, mengapakah Indra yang maha bijaksana itu sentiasa takut kepada raja yang berhati agung itu?”
Sukarma
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: celestial_realm
Sandhi Resolution Notes: sukarmovāca→sukarmaḥ uvāca; yatheṃdrosau→yathā indraḥ asau; yayātervikramaṃ→yayāteḥ vikramam; dānapuṇyādikaṃ→dāna-puṇya-ādikam.
FAQs
Indra’s fear reflects the Purāṇic theme that extraordinary human merit—especially through dāna (charity) and puṇya (pious acts)—can rival or threaten celestial status, prompting Indra’s anxiety.
The verse emphasizes Yayāti’s vikrama (prowess/heroic power) and his “abundant” religious merit, especially gained through charity and other virtuous deeds.
It implies that sustained ethical conduct—charity, righteousness, and merit-producing actions—has real spiritual power and consequence, sometimes exceeding worldly rank or even divine privilege.