Shloka 5
धृतराष्ट्र–दुर्योधन संवादः
Vāraṇāvata-vivāsana-nīti: Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Duryodhana’s Policy Dialogue
धनुर्वेदपरत्वाच्च तपसा विपुलेन च । भृशं संतापयामास देवराजं स गौतम:,वे धनुर्वेदमें पारंगत तो थे ही, उनकी तपस्या भी बड़ी भारी थी; इससे गौतमने देवराज इन्द्रको अत्यन्त चिन्तामें डाल दिया था
dhanurvedaparatvācca tapasā vipulena ca | bhṛśaṃ saṃtāpayāmāsa devarājaṃ sa gautamaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Because Gautama was highly accomplished in the science of archery and also possessed immense ascetic power, he greatly troubled the mind of Indra, the king of the gods—stirring in him deep anxiety and apprehension.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary human discipline—both martial mastery (dhanurveda) and ascetic power (tapas)—can unsettle even divine authority, implying an ethical tension: power gained through self-control demands responsibility, and rulers (even Indra) may react from fear when confronted by superior merit.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that the sage Gautama, being foremost in archery-lore and endowed with immense austerity, caused Indra, the king of the gods, to become deeply disturbed and anxious—suggesting Indra perceives Gautama’s growing power as a potential threat.