Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve
Gandharva Encounter
दानवो महिषो नाम प्रगृह् विपुलं गिरिम् इतनेहीमें दैत्योंकी भयंकर सेनासे महाबली दानव “महिष' हाथोंमें एक विशाल पर्वत लिये निकला और देवताओंपर टूट पड़ा
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca | dānavo mahiṣo nāma pragṛhya vipulaṃ girim | itenahīmeṃ daityoṃkī bhayaṅkara senāse mahābalī dānava “mahiṣa” hāthoṃmeṃ eka viśāla parvata liye nikalā aura devatāoṃpara ṭūṭa paṛā |
Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: „Ein Dānava namens Mahiṣa, von gewaltiger Kraft, packte mit seinen Händen einen riesigen Berg. Mitten aus dem furchterregenden Heer der Daityas brach er hervor, stürmte vor und fiel über die Götter her.“
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
The verse highlights how brute strength and arrogance, when directed against rightful order (the devas as guardians of ṛta/dharma), becomes a manifestation of adharma; power without restraint turns into destructive aggression.
Mārkaṇḍeya describes a battle episode: the mighty demon Mahiṣa lifts a huge mountain as a weapon and, supported by a terrifying Daitya host, launches an assault on the gods.