Shloka 22

सुरभि–इन्द्रसंवादः

Surabhi–Indra Dialogue as a Governance Exemplar

Devanagari script

सत्यव्रतधरा: सर्वे सर्वे पुरुषमानिन: । हन्तारो देवशत्रूणां रक्षमां कामरूपिणाम्‌

Transliteration

satyavratadharāḥ sarve sarve puruṣamāninaḥ | hantāro devaśatrūṇāṃ rakṣasāṃ kāmarūpiṇām ||

Translation

Maitreya nói: “Tất cả bọn họ đều kiên định giữ lời thệ nguyện về chân thật, và mỗi người đều tự xem mình là bậc trượng phu danh dự. Họ là những kẻ sát phạt quân thù của chư thiên—bọn Rākṣasa biến hóa—tiêu diệt các thế lực sống nhờ dối trá và săn mồi, để gìn giữ trật tự thiêng liêng.”

Word by Word

सत्यव्रतधराःbearing true vows / steadfast in truth-vows

सर्वेall

पुरुषमानिनःproud of manliness / considering themselves men of valor

हन्तारःslayers

देवशत्रूणाम्of the enemies of the gods

रक्षमाम्of the rākṣasas (demons)

कामरूपिणाम्of those who can assume forms at will

Speaker

मैत्रेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Maitreya

Devas

Rakṣasas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links ethical integrity (truth-vows and honorable self-restraint) with rightful strength: true manliness is portrayed not as mere aggression but as the capacity to uphold dharma by opposing deceptive, predatory forces.

What is happening in the narrative?

Maitreya characterizes a group as truth-bound and honor-driven warriors who destroy the gods’ enemies—shape-shifting Rākṣasas—framing their actions as a defense of the divine and moral order.