Shloka 30
अग्निभय-प्रसङ्गे मन्दपालस्य शोकः
Mandapāla’s Lament amid the Threat of Fire
कल्यौ स्वो भगवन् योद्धुमपि सर्व: सुरासुरै: । कि पुनर्वज्रिणैकेन पन्नगार्थे युयुत्मता,इसके बाद अस्त्रविद्याके ज्ञाता एवं शस्त्रसम्पन्न अर्जुन और श्रीकृष्णने प्रसन्न होकर अग्निदेवसे कहा--“भगवन्! अब हम दोनों रथ और ध्वजासे युक्त हो सम्पूर्ण देवताओं तथा असुरोंसे भी युद्ध करनेमें समर्थ हो गये हैं; फिर तक्षक नागके लिये युद्धकी इच्छा रखनेवाले अकेले वज्रधारी इन्द्रसे युद्ध करना क्या बड़ी बात है?”
kalyau svaḥ bhagavan yoddhum api sarvaḥ surāsuraiḥ | ki punar vajriṇaikena pannagārthe yuyutmatā ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Blessed One, now we are fully prepared to fight—even against all the gods and the asuras together. How much less, then, is it a great matter to fight the single thunderbolt-bearing Indra, who is eager to battle for the sake of the serpent (Takṣaka)?” In context, the statement conveys confident resolve and loyalty to Agni’s cause, while also foreshadowing a confrontation where personal duty and divine opposition collide.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfast resolve in fulfilling an undertaken duty: once equipped and committed, the heroes treat even divine opposition as secondary to the cause they have accepted (here, supporting Agni). It also raises an ethical tension—human agency confronting divine power—showing how vows and alliances can lead to conflict even with celestial beings.
Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, having obtained a chariot and banner and being armed with astras and śastras, speak to Agni with confidence. They declare they could face all gods and asuras, so fighting Indra alone—who seeks to protect the serpent Takṣaka—is not a daunting prospect.