Shloka 16
देव–विष्णु–संवादः । कालेयगणस्य समुद्राश्रयः । अगस्त्योपसर्पणम्
Devas and Viṣṇu on the Kāleyas; Approach to Agastya
तस्मिन् हते दैत्यवरे भयार्त: शक्र: प्रदुद्राव सर: प्रवेष्टम् । वज्ं स मेने न कराद् विमुक्तं वृत्रं भयाच्चापि हतं न मेने,महादैत्य वृत्रके मारे जानेपर भी इन्द्र भयसे पीड़ित हो (छिपनेकी इच्छासे) तालाबमें प्रवेश करने दौड़े। उन्हें भयके कारण यह विश्वास नहीं होता था कि वज्र मेरे हाथसे छूट चुका है और वृत्रासुर भी अवश्य मारा गया है
tasmin hate daityavare bhayārtaḥ śakraḥ pradudrāva saraḥ praveṣṭum | vajraṃ sa mene na karād vimuktaṃ vṛtraṃ bhayāccāpi hataṃ na mene ||
When that foremost of the Dānavas had been slain, Śakra (Indra), shaken by fear, ran to enter a lake in order to hide. In his panic he could not believe that the vajra had truly left his hand, nor—out of fear—could he accept with certainty that Vṛtra had indeed been killed. Thus is shown how even victory may be clouded by inner turmoil, and how fear can warp one’s grasp of reality and moral confidence.
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fear can persist even after success and can distort perception; ethical and psychological clarity may not automatically follow a violent victory, so inner steadiness and discernment are needed.
After the demon-chief Vṛtra is slain, Indra—still terrified—rushes to hide in a lake, doubting whether he truly released the vajra and whether Vṛtra is really dead.