Shloka 5
Karṇa’s advance against the Pāṇḍava host; Arjuna’s clash with the Saṃśaptakas (कर्णस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रवेशः—अर्जुनस्य संशप्तकसंप्रहारः)
निर्जितिषु च दैत्येषु तारकस्य सुतास्त्रय: । ताराक्ष: कमलाक्षश्न विद्युन्माली च पार्थिव,निबोध मनसा चात्र न ते कार्या विचारणा । दुर्योधन बोला--मद्रराज! मैं पुन: आपसे जो कुछ कह रहा हूँ, उसे सुनिये। प्रभो! पूर्वकालमें देवासुर-संग्रामके अवसरपर जो घटना घटित हुई थी तथा जिसे महर्षि मार्कण्डेयने मेरे पिताजीको सुनाया था, वह सब मैं पूर्णरूपसे बता रहा हूँ। राजर्षिप्रवर! आप मन लगाकर इसे सुनिये, इसके विषयमें आपको कोई अन्यथा विचार नहीं करना चाहिये तप उग्र॑ समास्थाय नियमे परमे स्थिता: । उस समय देवताओंने दैत्योंको परास्त कर दिया था, यह हमारे सुननेमें आया है। राजन! दैत्योंके परास्त हो जानेपर तारकासुरके तीन पुत्र ताराक्ष, कमलाक्ष और विद्युन्माली उग्र तपस्याका आश्रय ले उत्तम नियमोंका पालन करने लगे
nirjitiṣu ca daityeṣu tārakasya sutās trayaḥ | tārākṣaḥ kamalākṣaś ca vidyunmālī ca pārthiva | nibodha manasā cātra na te kāryā vicāraṇā | tapo ugraṃ samāsthāya niyame parame sthitāḥ |
Duryodhana said: “When the Daityas had been defeated, O king, there were three sons of Tāraka—Tārākṣa, Kamalākṣa, and Vidyunmālī. Attend to this with a steady mind; you should not entertain doubts about it. Having undertaken fierce austerities, they remained established in the highest discipline of vows.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Mahābhārata theme that intense resolve and disciplined observance (tapas and niyama) can become a powerful force after defeat; it also shows how a speaker tries to secure trust by urging the listener to set aside doubt and attend carefully.
Duryodhana introduces a past mythic episode: after the Daityas were defeated, Tārakāsura’s three sons—Tārākṣa, Kamalākṣa, and Vidyunmālī—undertook fierce austerities and strict vows. He frames it as reliable precedent and asks the king he addresses to listen without skepticism.