Shloka 32
Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala
हा कष्टं किं तवानॆन कृतं देव! महीक्षिताः |
यदिन्द्रोपेन्द्रतुल्योऽयं नीतः प्रस्वापनीं दशाम् ||
hā kaṣṭaṁ kiṁ tavānena kṛtaṁ deva! mahīkṣitāḥ /
yad indropendratulyo ’yaṁ nītaḥ prasvāpanīṁ daśām ||
“Ay, anong matinding paghihirap! O Panginoon, ano ang ginawa sa iyo ng mga pinuno ng daigdig na ito, na ikaw—kapantay nina Indra at Upendra—ay dinala sa kalagayang mahimbing na pagkakatulog?”
FAQs
Even the supreme protector (Viṣṇu) is shown as subject to a divinely-willed ‘state’ (yoganidrā), highlighting that cosmic functions operate through Śakti. Ethically, the verse models humility: the devas do not presume entitlement to rescue, but first acknowledge the gravity of the situation and seek the proper power through reverent address.
Primarily within ‘vaṁśānucarita/ākhyāna’ style mythic narrative used to teach dharma and theology; secondarily it supports ‘sarga/pratisarga’ worldview by explaining how cosmic stability depends on the coordination of Viṣṇu and Śakti (Māyā). It is not a manvantara or genealogical datum in itself.
‘Indropendratulya’ underscores that even the highest divine offices (Indra) and the cosmic preserver (Upendra/Viṣṇu) are, in manifestation, conditioned by Śakti’s modes. The ‘prasvāpanī daśā’ symbolizes tamasic withdrawal—when awareness is veiled, disorder rises—necessitating invocation of Mahāmāyā to reawaken luminous agency.