Shloka 15
उशनसः (शुक्रस्य) चरितम् — The Account of Uśanā (Śukra): Yoga, Grievance, and Pacification
भ्रष्टैश्वर्य पुरा वृत्रमुशना वाक्यमब्रवीत् | काचित् पराजितस्याद्य न व्यथा ते5स्ति दानव
bhraṣṭaiśvaryaḥ purā vṛtram uśanā vākyam abravīt | kācit parājitasya adya na vyathā te 'sti dānava ||
Bhīṣma sprach: Vor langer Zeit, als Vṛtra aus seiner früheren Herrschaft gefallen war, wandte sich Uśanas (Śukrācārya) an ihn: „O Dānava! Obwohl du besiegt wurdest, ist heute keinerlei Kummer in dir. Was ist der Grund dafür?“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up an ethical inquiry: true steadiness is measured not by external success but by the mind’s freedom from agitation. By highlighting Vritra’s lack of distress even after losing sovereignty, the text points toward inner composure and detachment as a higher strength than mere power.
Bhishma recalls an old episode: after Vritra has been defeated and stripped of his former dominion, his teacher Ushanas (Shukracharya) notices Vritra’s unusual calm and asks why he feels no pain or anxiety despite the defeat.