Shloka 21
स च तैव्यथित: शक्रो वसिष्ठं शरणं ययौ । ततो<5भयं ददौ तेभ्यो वसिष्ठो भगवानृषि:
sa ca tair vyathitaḥ śakro vasiṣṭhaṃ śaraṇaṃ yayau | tato 'bhayaṃ dadau tebhyo vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ |
Bhishma sprach: Indra (Śakra), von jenen Daityas bedrängt, ging und suchte Zuflucht bei Vasiṣṭha. Da gewährte der ehrwürdige Weise Vasiṣṭha ihnen Furchtlosigkeit—er schützte die bedrängten Götter durch seine geistige Autorität—und zeigte, dass wahre Sicherheit aus dharma und der Kraft des tapas erwächst, nicht aus bloßer Gewalt.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
When worldly power is shaken, one should seek śaraṇa (refuge) in a dharmic authority; the protection (abhaya) granted by a true ṛṣi arises from tapas and righteousness, not merely from weapons or political strength.
Indra is troubled by the Daityas and approaches the sage Vasiṣṭha for protection; Vasiṣṭha then grants fearlessness to the gods, indicating his capacity to safeguard them through spiritual power.