Shloka 35
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 29 — Arjuna’s defeat of Vṛṣaka–Acalā and the neutralization of Śakuni’s māyā
तथेत्युक्त्वा गता देवी कृतकामा मनस्विनी । स चाप्यासीद् दुराधर्षो नरक: शत्रुतापन:,“तब 'जो आज्ञा” कहकर मनस्विनी पृथ्वीदेवी कृतार्थ होकर चली गयी। वह नरकासुर भी (उस अस्त्रको पाकर) शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाला तथा अत्यन्त दुर्जय हो गया
tathety uktvā gatā devī kṛtakāmā manasvinī | sa cāpy āsīd durādharṣo narakaḥ śatrutāpanaḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : «“Qu’il en soit ainsi”, répondit la déesse, et la Terre, l’âme haute, son dessein accompli, s’en alla. Et Naraka aussi—ayant obtenu cette arme—devint le tourmenteur des ennemis, d’une invincibilité redoutable.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the granting or acquisition of extraordinary power (here, a weapon) can rapidly make a person formidable; ethically, it points to the responsibility and consequences that accompany such empowerment, since increased might often intensifies conflict and suffering.
Earth, addressed as a goddess, assents (“so be it”), and leaves after accomplishing her purpose. Naraka, having obtained the weapon (as implied by the surrounding context), becomes extremely difficult to defeat and a fierce afflicter of his enemies.