Shloka 23
Adhyāya 227: Duryodhana’s Deliberation and the Ghoṣa-yātrā Pretext
Dvaita-vana
अशक्यो<यं विचिन्त्यैवं तमेव शरणं ययु: । ऊचुश्नैनं त्वमस्माकं पुत्रो भव महाबल,परंतु स्कन्दका अप्रतिम बल देखकर उनके मुखपर उदासी छा गयी। वे सोचने लगीं --“इस वीरको पराजित करना असम्भव है।' ऐसा निश्चय होनेपर वे उन्हींकी शरणमें गयीं और बोलीं--“महाबली कुमार! तुम हमारे पुत्र हो जाओ, हमें माता मान लो
aśakyo ’yaṃ vicintyāivaṃ tam eva śaraṇaṃ yayuḥ | ūcuś cainaṃ tvam asmākaṃ putro bhava mahābala ||
Mārkaṇḍeya said: Reflecting thus, they concluded, “This one cannot be overcome.” Therefore they went to him alone for refuge and said to him, “O mighty one, become our son; accept us as your mothers.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
When opposition is futile and harmful, wisdom lies in humility and seeking rightful refuge; ethical resolution can come through surrender and re-framing relationships (from enemies to protectors/kin).
A group, seeing the unmatched strength of the addressed hero (contextually Skanda), abandons the attempt to defeat him, approaches him for protection, and requests that he accept them as mothers by becoming their son.