Shloka 37
Karṇa’s advance against the Pāṇḍava host; Arjuna’s clash with the Saṃśaptakas (कर्णस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रवेशः—अर्जुनस्य संशप्तकसंप्रहारः)
नाशकत् तान्यभेद्यानि यदा भेत्तुं पुरंदर:
nāśakat tāny abhedyāni yadā bhettuṃ purandaraḥ | tapa ugraṃ samāsthāya niyame parame sthitāḥ ||
Duryodhana sprach: „Als Purandara (Indra) jene uneinnehmbaren Festungen nicht zu brechen vermochte—obwohl sie durch Brahmās Gnadengabe geschützt waren—ergriff ihn Furcht; er zog sich zurück und verließ jene Städte. Dann ging er zusammen mit den Göttern zu Brahmā, um die Bedrückung durch jene Dānavas zu melden.“
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights that power fortified by tapas (austerity) and strict niyama (discipline) can make even the seemingly invincible hesitate; boons and titles do not guarantee success, and prudent recourse to higher counsel (Brahmā) becomes necessary when force fails.
Duryodhana cites an earlier divine-demonic episode: after the Dānavas were defeated, Tārakāsura’s sons performed severe austerities and became protected by impregnable cities; Indra could not pierce them, grew fearful, withdrew, and went with the gods to Brahmā to report their oppression and seek a remedy.