Shloka 49
Vṛtra’s Cosmic Threat, Viṣṇu’s Upāya, and the Conditional Vulnerability
Udyoga-parva 10
अराजकं जगत् सर्वमभिभूतमुपद्रव: । ततो भीता5भवन् देवा: को नो राजा भवेदिति,सम्पूर्ण जगत्में अराजकताके कारण भारी उपद्रव होने लगे। स्वर्गमें देवराज इन्द्रके न होनेसे देवता तथा देवर्षि भी भयभीत होकर सोचने लगे--“अब हमारा राजा कौन होगा?' देवताओंमेंसे कोई भी स्वर्गका राजा बननेका विचार नहीं करता था
arājakaṁ jagat sarvam abhibhūtam upadravaiḥ | tato bhītā abhavan devāḥ ko no rājā bhaved iti ||
When the world was left without a king, it became overwhelmed by calamities and disorder. Frightened by this, the gods began to wonder, “Who will be our king now?”—for with Indra absent, even the divine order felt leaderless and insecure.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores a dharmic political ethic: when legitimate rulership is absent, society is quickly overwhelmed by upadravas (disturbances). Order, protection, and justice depend on responsible kingship; leaderlessness breeds fear even among those who are otherwise powerful.
Śalya describes a time of leaderlessness: the world suffers widespread turmoil, and the gods—feeling the vacuum created by the absence of their king (Indra)—become anxious and ask who will rule them.