Shloka 39
Karṇa’s advance against the Pāṇḍava host; Arjuna’s clash with the Saṃśaptakas (कर्णस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रवेशः—अर्जुनस्य संशप्तकसंप्रहारः)
तैरेव विबुधै: सार्ध पितामहमरिंदम । जगामाथ तदाख्यातु विप्रकारं सुरेतरै:
tair eva vibudhaiḥ sārdhaṃ pitāmaham ariṃdama | jagāmātha tadākhyātuṃ viprakāraṃ suretaraiḥ || tapo ugraṃ samāsthāya niyame parame sthitāḥ |
Duryodhana berkata: “Wahai penakluk musuh, bersama para dewa itu pula, Dewa-raja Indra pergi menghadap Pitāmaha, Brahmā, untuk melaporkan penindasan yang dilakukan para musuh para dewa. Setelah para Daitya dikalahkan, tiga putra Tārakāsura—Tārākṣa, Kamalākṣa, dan Vidyunmālī—menempuh tapa yang dahsyat dan teguh dalam laku disiplin tertinggi. Namun ketika Indra, meski dikuatkan oleh anugerah Brahmā, tetap tak sanggup menembus kota-kota mereka yang tak tertembus, para dewa pun gentar, meninggalkan benteng-benteng itu, lalu mendatangi Brahmā untuk mengungkap kezaliman para Daitya.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how power gained through boons and austerity can be used for oppression, and how even the mighty must seek higher counsel when force fails. Ethically, it contrasts disciplined practice (tapas, niyama) with the misuse of the resulting power, implying that inner discipline is not automatically synonymous with righteousness.
After the Daityas are defeated, Tārakāsura’s three sons perform severe austerities and become protected by near-invincible strongholds. Indra cannot break these forts, so the gods retreat and go with Indra to Brahmā (Pitāmaha) to report the Asuras’ oppression and seek a remedy.