Shloka 27
Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)
ततोअब्रवीत् सुरान् शक्रो न मे शक््या महासुरा:
tato 'bravīt surān śakro na me śakyā mahāsurāḥ
Then Śakra (Indra) spoke to the gods: “Those mighty Asuras cannot be overcome by me.” The line underscores a moral tension in the epic’s war-narratives: even the powerful must acknowledge limits, and righteous action often requires counsel, collective effort, and humility rather than pride in strength alone.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power without humility is incomplete: even Indra admits limitation, implying that dharmic success often depends on wise counsel, cooperation, and recognition of one’s bounds rather than mere force.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports that Indra addresses the gods and confesses that the mighty Asuras are not conquerable by him alone, setting up the need for a broader strategy or assistance.