Shloka 39
Karṇa’s advance against the Pāṇḍava host; Arjuna’s clash with the Saṃśaptakas (कर्णस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रवेशः—अर्जुनस्य संशप्तकसंप्रहारः)
तैरेव विबुधै: सार्ध पितामहमरिंदम । जगामाथ तदाख्यातु विप्रकारं सुरेतरै:
tair eva vibudhaiḥ sārdhaṃ pitāmaham ariṃdama | jagāmātha tadākhyātuṃ viprakāraṃ suretaraiḥ || tapo ugraṃ samāsthāya niyame parame sthitāḥ |
Duryodhana sprach: „O Bezwinger der Feinde, in Begleitung eben jener Götter ging Indra zu Pitāmaha (Brahmā), um die Bedrückung zu melden, die die Feinde der Götter verübten. Denn nachdem die Daityas geschlagen waren, nahmen die drei Söhne des Tārakāsura—Tārākṣa, Kamalākṣa und Vidyunmālī—Zuflucht zu grimmiger Askese und blieben standhaft in den höchsten Zuchtübungen. Als selbst Indra, obgleich durch Brahmās Gunst gestärkt, ihre uneinnehmbaren Städte nicht zu durchbohren vermochte, wichen die Götter erschrocken aus jenen Festungen zurück und traten vor Brahmā, um die Gewaltherrschaft der Daityas offenzulegen.“
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how power gained through boons and austerity can be used for oppression, and how even the mighty must seek higher counsel when force fails. Ethically, it contrasts disciplined practice (tapas, niyama) with the misuse of the resulting power, implying that inner discipline is not automatically synonymous with righteousness.
After the Daityas are defeated, Tārakāsura’s three sons perform severe austerities and become protected by near-invincible strongholds. Indra cannot break these forts, so the gods retreat and go with Indra to Brahmā (Pitāmaha) to report the Asuras’ oppression and seek a remedy.