Shloka 39
Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)
इन्द्रस्तां दु:खितां दृष्टवा अब्रवीत् परुषं वच: । पुरा सुदुःसहं भद्रे मम दुःखं त्वया कृतम्,इन्द्रने उसे दु:खी देख कठोर वाणीमें कहा--भद्रे! जब पहले तुम राजा थीं, तब तुमने भी मुझे दुःसह दुःख दिया था
indras tāṁ duḥkhitāṁ dṛṣṭvā abravīt paruṣaṁ vacaḥ | purā suduḥsahaṁ bhadre mama duḥkhaṁ tvayā kṛtam |
तां दुःखितां दृष्ट्वा इन्द्रः परुषं वचोऽब्रवीत्— ‘पुरा सुदुःसहं भद्रे मम दुःखं त्वया कृतम्।’
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores karmic and ethical accountability: present distress may be met with the reminder that one’s earlier actions can generate later suffering. It also cautions that speech can be used as moral censure—Indra’s harshness functions as a pointed recollection of past harm.
Bhishma narrates a scene where Indra sees a woman (unnamed in this verse) suffering and addresses her sternly, stating that she had previously caused him unbearable pain. The moment sets up a cause-and-effect explanation for her predicament and Indra’s response.