Shloka 21
स च तैव्यथित: शक्रो वसिष्ठं शरणं ययौ । ततो<5भयं ददौ तेभ्यो वसिष्ठो भगवानृषि:
sa ca tair vyathitaḥ śakro vasiṣṭhaṃ śaraṇaṃ yayau | tato 'bhayaṃ dadau tebhyo vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ |
Bhishma dit : Indra, tourmenté par ces Daityas, alla chercher refuge auprès de Vasiṣṭha. Alors le vénérable sage Vasiṣṭha leur accorda l’intrépidité—protégeant les dieux affligés par son autorité spirituelle—et montra que la véritable sécurité naît du dharma et de la puissance du tapas, plutôt que de la seule force.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
When worldly power is shaken, one should seek śaraṇa (refuge) in a dharmic authority; the protection (abhaya) granted by a true ṛṣi arises from tapas and righteousness, not merely from weapons or political strength.
Indra is troubled by the Daityas and approaches the sage Vasiṣṭha for protection; Vasiṣṭha then grants fearlessness to the gods, indicating his capacity to safeguard them through spiritual power.