Shloka 49

Adhyaya 3 — The Dharmapakshis’ Past-Life Curse and Indra’s Test of Truthfulness

Sanskrit

इत्यृषेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा सोऽन्तर्विस्मयनिर्भरः ।

प्रत्युवाच मुनिं शक्रः पक्षिरूपधरस्तदा ॥

Transliteration

ity ṛṣer vacanaṃ śrutvā so 'ntarvismayanirbharaḥ /

pratyuvāca muniṃ śakraḥ pakṣirūpadharās tadā //

Translation

ऋषेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा सः अन्तः विस्मयसमाकुलः मुनिं प्रत्युवाच। तदा शक्रः पक्षिरूपं धृत्वा स्थितः।

Speakers

• Śakra (Indra) in bird-form replying to a Ṛṣi (sage)

Primary Deities

• Indra (Śakra)

Key Themes

• Frame narrative
• Dialogue structure
• Disguise/assumed form (rūpa-dhāraṇa)
• Wonder (vismaya) preceding instruction