Shloka 6
Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana
The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint
मायया चाक्षिपत् तेजो वृत्रस्य बलसूदन: । तस्मान्मायामयं भीम आतिष्ठतु पराक्रमम्,बलसूदन इन्द्रने मायासे वृत्रासुरके तेजको नष्ट कर दिया था, इसलिये भीमसेन भी यहाँ मायामय पराक्रमका ही आश्रय लें
māyayā cākṣipat tejo vṛtrasya balasūdanaḥ | tasmān māyāmayaṃ bhīma ātiṣṭhatu parākramam ||
Vāyu said: “By his own māyā, Indra—the slayer of Bala—cast down and nullified the fiery power of Vṛtra. Therefore, O Bhīma, let him here also take refuge in a māyā-born strategy of valor—meeting illusion with counter-illusion—so that strength is guided by discernment rather than mere force.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power should be governed by discernment: when confronted with deceptive or extraordinary force, one may ethically adopt an appropriate counter-strategy (māyā) rather than relying only on brute strength. The verse frames this as precedent from Indra’s victory over Vṛtra.
Vāyu addresses Bhīma, recalling how Indra used māyā to dispel Vṛtra’s tejas. On that basis, he urges Bhīma to adopt a māyā-based form of prowess in the present conflict—implying tactical adaptation to the opponent’s methods.