Shloka 54
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 96: Sātyaki’s Line-Penetration, Encirclement, and Advance toward Arjuna
त्वष्टा पुरा तपस्तप्त्वा वर्षायुतशतं तदा । वृत्रो विनिर्मितो देवा: प्राप्यानुज्ञां महेश्वरात्,“देवगण! प्राचीन कालमें त्वष्टा प्रजापतिने दस लाख वर्षोतक तपस्या करके भगवान् शंकरसे वरदान पाकर वृत्रासुरको उत्पन्न किया था
sañjaya uvāca |
tvaṣṭā purā tapastaptvā varṣāyutaśataṁ tadā |
vṛtro vinirmito devāḥ prāpyānujñāṁ maheśvarāt ||
Sañjaya said: In ancient times, Tvaṣṭṛ performed severe austerities for a hundred myriads of years. Then, having obtained permission from Maheśvara (Śiva), he brought Vṛtra into being—an act that frames the power of ascetic merit and divine sanction, and hints at the grave ethical consequences when extraordinary power is used to create a formidable adversary.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Extraordinary power gained through tapas is not value-neutral: its use requires restraint and right intention, and even then it operates within a moral universe where actions can unleash far-reaching consequences; divine permission underscores accountability rather than license.
Sañjaya cites an ancient precedent: Tvaṣṭṛ, after immense austerities, receives Śiva’s consent and creates Vṛtra. The episode functions as a mythic illustration within the war narrative, invoking a well-known cosmic conflict to illuminate the gravity of the present events.