Shloka 11
Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda
अनेन क्रतुभिमर्ुख्यै्नेष्टं नापि द्विजातय: । तर्पिता विधिवच्छक्र सोडयं कस्मादतीव माम्
Ambarīṣa uvāca: anena kratubhir mukhyair neṣṭaṃ nāpi dvijātayaḥ | tarpītā vidhivac chakra so ’yaṃ kasmād atīva mām (aiśvaryam īdṛśaṃ prāptaḥ sarvadevaiḥ sudurlabham | indradeva! asine na to baṛe-baṛe yajña kiye aur na vidhipūrvak brāhmaṇoṃ ko hī tṛpta kiyā | vahī yaha sudeva āj mujhko lāṅghkar ūpar-ūparse kaise jā rahā hai? ise aisā aiśvarya kahāṃse prāpta ho gayā, jo sampūrṇa devatāoṃ ke liye bhī atyanta durlabha hai?)
Ambarīṣa dijo: «Oh Indra, este hombre no ha realizado los sacrificios más eminentes, ni ha satisfecho debidamente a los dos veces nacidos con los ritos apropiados. ¿Por qué, entonces, me supera ahora tan grandemente, como si pasara por encima de mi cabeza? ¿De dónde ha obtenido tal soberanía, una eminencia sumamente rara incluso entre todos los dioses?»
अमग्बरीष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral tension: external ritual achievements (great sacrifices, formal gratification of Brahmins) are commonly treated as measures of merit, yet extraordinary prosperity may arise from other, less visible causes. It implicitly cautions against judging worth solely by public ritual credentials and exposes how envy can distort one’s sense of justice.
Ambarīṣa addresses Indra in protest and disbelief. He observes someone (identified in the Gita Press gloss as Sudeva) enjoying exceptional, almost god-like eminence despite not having performed renowned sacrifices or ritually honoring the twice-born. Ambarīṣa asks Indra to explain how such rare sovereignty was attained.