Shloka 423

Devanagari script

भयादू रणं परित्यज्य शक्रमेवाभिशिश्रियु: । बहुत-से देवता बार-बार प्रयत्न करनेपर भी कभी सफलमनोरथ न हो सके। उनकी आशा टूट गयी और वे भयके मारे युद्ध छोड़कर इन्द्रकी ही शरणमें चले गये

Transliteration

bhayād raṇaṃ parityajya śakram evābhiśiśriyuḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Von Furcht überwältigt verließen sie das Schlachtfeld und suchten Zuflucht allein bei Śakra (Indra). Obwohl viele Gottheiten sich wieder und wieder bemüht hatten, konnten sie ihr Ziel nicht erreichen; ihre Hoffnung zerbrach, und in Schrecken zogen sie sich aus dem Kampf zurück und nahmen bei Indra Schutz.

Word by Word

• भयात्: from fear / out of fear
• भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• रणम्: battle, war
• रणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned / leaving behind
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• शक्रम्: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed, just, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभिशिश्रियुः: they took refuge (in) / they resorted to
• अभिशिश्रियुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-श्रि
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śakra (Indra)
• devatāḥ (the gods/deities)
• raṇa (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Fear can cause even powerful beings to abandon their duty; when one’s own effort fails, seeking refuge in a higher protector or rightful leader becomes the chosen course. The verse highlights the ethical tension between perseverance in conflict and retreat for safety under legitimate shelter.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of a battle, many deities repeatedly try to achieve their objective but fail. Their hopes collapse, and, frightened, they leave the battlefield and take shelter with Śakra (Indra).