Shloka 22
Adhyāya 196: Droṇa’s Conciliatory Counsel and Karṇa’s Suspicion of Counsel (मन्त्र-नय-विवादः)
उक्तस्त्वेवं विभुना देवराज: प्रावेपतातों भूशमेवाभिषज्भात् स्रस्तैरड्रैरनिलेनेव नुन्न- मश्व॒त्थपत्र॑ गिरिराजमूर्थ्नि,उस पर्वत-शिखरपर भगवान् रुद्रके यों कहनेपर देवराज इन्द्र पराभवकी आशंकासे अत्यन्त दुःखी हो गये, उनके सारे अंग शिथिल पड़ गये और हवासे हिलनेवाले पीपलके पत्तेकी तरह वे थर-थर काँपने लगे
uktas tv evaṁ vibhunā devarājaḥ prāvepatāto bhūśam evābhiṣajbhāt | srastair aḍrair anilen eva nunnam aśvatthapatraṁ girirājamūrdhni ||
Vyāsa disse: Assim interpelado pelo Senhor poderoso, Indra, rei dos deuses, foi tomado por intenso tremor e caiu em profunda aflição. Seus membros afrouxaram, e ele estremeceu como uma folha de peepal sacudida pelo vento no cume do rei das montanhas—oprimido pelo medo da derrota e pelo peso moral do que ouvira.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the highest worldly power is unstable before divine law and truth; when confronted by a higher moral and spiritual authority, pride collapses into humility, and fear arises from awareness of one’s vulnerability and possible wrongdoing.
After being addressed by the supreme Lord (identified in the surrounding context as Rudra), Indra becomes deeply distressed, his body slackens, and he trembles violently—likened to a peepal leaf shaken by wind on a mountain peak—because he foresees defeat and feels the weight of the Lord’s words.