Shloka 20
Gandhamādana-praveśa and the Sudden Storm (गन्धमादनप्रवेशः — चण्डवातवर्षवर्णनम्)
स तु तस्य बल ज्ञात्वा धर्मे च चरितव्रतम् । भयाभिभूत: संविग्न: शक्र आसीत् तदानघ,“निष्पाप युधिष्ठिर! नरकासुर बलवान तो था ही, धर्मके लिये भी उसने कितने ही उत्तम व्रतोंका आचरण किया था, यह सब जानकर इन्द्रको बड़ा भय हुआ, वे घबरा उठे
sa tu tasya balaṁ jñātvā dharme ca caritavratam | bhayābhibhūtaḥ saṁvignaḥ śakra āsīt tadānagha ||
Namun ketika Śakra (Indra) mengetahui kekuatan raksasa itu, serta laku tapa dan kaul yang ia jalankan dengan setia demi dharma, ia diliputi ketakutan dan menjadi sangat gelisah pada saat itu. Wahai Yudhiṣṭhira yang tanpa noda, sebab Narakāsura bukan hanya perkasa, melainkan juga menempuh banyak laku suci demi kebenaran—itulah yang membuat Indra gentar.
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power alone is not the only source of threat; even an adversary’s disciplined practice of dharma-like vows can increase their potency and influence, creating moral and strategic anxiety even for the gods.
The speaker explains that Indra (Śakra), upon learning both Narakāsura’s great strength and his performance of commendable religious vows, becomes fearful and unsettled, and addresses Yudhiṣṭhira as ‘anagha’ (sinless).