Shloka 11
Adhyāya 39 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on attachment (saṅga) and relational restraint
एतत् कारणमाज्ञाय दृष्टवा देवासुरं पुरा । युद्ध पिता मे हृष्टात्मा विस्मित: समपद्यत
etat kāraṇam ājñāya dṛṣṭvā devāsuraṃ purā | yuddhe pitā me hṛṣṭātmā vismitaḥ samapadyata ||
Ayant compris cette raison, et ayant jadis été témoin de la bataille entre les dieux et les asuras, mon père — l’âme élevée — fut saisi d’étonnement au cœur même de cette guerre.
शम्बर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that grasping the underlying cause (kāraṇa) behind events changes one’s inner response: even in war, understanding can give rise to clarity and reflective astonishment rather than blind turmoil.
Śambara speaks about an earlier time when he (or his side) witnessed the ancient conflict between gods and asuras; upon understanding the reason behind what was occurring, his father became uplifted and amazed during the battle.