Shloka 23
Vivāha-dharma: Kanyā-pradāna, Śulka, and Pāṇigrahaṇa-niṣṭhā (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४४)
नाहं त्वामद्य मूढात्मन् दहेयं हि स्वतेजसा । कृपायमानस्तु न ते दग्धुमिच्छामि वासव,मूढचित्त इन्द्र! मैं अपने तेजसे तुझे जलाकर भस्म कर सकता हूँ। केवल दया करके ही तुझे इस समय जलाना नहीं चाहता
nāhaṃ tvām adya mūḍhātman daheyaṃ hi svatejasā | kṛpāyamānas tu na te dagdhum icchāmi vāsava mūḍhacitta indra ||
毗补罗说：“愚昧之徒！今日我确能以自身苦行之光焰将你焚为灰烬。然而出于慈悲，我不愿焚烧你——噢，婆娑婆（因陀罗），心智迷乱者。”
विपुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power (tejas) is not meant for impulsive punishment; the higher ethic is self-restraint guided by compassion. Even when one has the capacity to destroy, choosing mercy over retaliation is presented as a superior dharmic response, especially toward one acting in delusion.
Vipula confronts Indra (Vāsava) and declares that he has the spiritual potency to burn him immediately, yet refrains out of compassion. The line underscores Vipula’s moral control and frames Indra as momentarily misguided, setting a tone of admonition rather than vengeance.