Shloka 29
Karṇa’s advance against the Pāṇḍava host; Arjuna’s clash with the Saṃśaptakas (कर्णस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रवेशः—अर्जुनस्य संशप्तकसंप्रहारः)
स तु लब्ध्वा वरं वीरस्तारकाक्षसुतो हरि:
sa tu labdhvā varaṃ vīras tārakākṣa-suto hariḥ, tapa ugraṃ samāsthāya niyame parame sthitāḥ |
Duryodhana berkata: “Terdengar bahwa pada waktu itu para dewa mengalahkan kaum Daitya. Wahai Raja, setelah Daitya ditundukkan, tiga putra Tārakāsura—Tārakākṣa, Kamalākṣa, dan Vidyunmālī—berlindung pada tapa yang dahsyat dan teguh berdiri dalam laku disiplin yang paling luhur.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring epic ethic: power can be regained or transformed through disciplined austerity (tapas) and strict observance (niyama). Even after defeat, steadfast self-restraint and spiritual effort are portrayed as a means to obtain boons and reassert agency—raising questions about how ascetic power may be used for righteous or destructive ends.
Duryodhana recalls a traditional account: after the gods defeat the Daityas, Tārakāsura’s three sons (Tārakākṣa, Kamalākṣa, Vidyunmālī) undertake severe austerities and maintain strict vows, setting the stage for receiving extraordinary boons and becoming formidable again.