Shloka 19
Adhyāya 227: Duryodhana’s Deliberation and the Ghoṣa-yātrā Pretext
Dvaita-vana
स तानुवाच व्यथितो बालो5यं सुमहाबल:,तब इन्द्रने व्यथित होकर उन देवताओंसे कहा--“देवताओ! यह बालक बड़ा बलवान् है। यह लोकस्रष्टा ब्रह्माको भी युद्धमें पराक्रम करके मार सकता है। अतः मुझमें इस बालकको मारनेका साहस नहीं है।” इन्द्र बार-बार यही बात दुहराने लगे
sa tān uvāca vyathito bālo ’yaṃ sumahābalaḥ
Markandeya said: Distressed, he addressed those gods: “O Devas, this child is exceedingly mighty. He could, by prowess in battle, even slay Brahmā, the creator of the worlds. Therefore I do not have the courage to kill this child.” Indra kept repeating this same point again and again, underscoring both the peril of rash violence and the need for restraint before overwhelming power.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical restraint: even when confronted with a perceived threat, one should not rush into violence without recognizing the true magnitude of the situation. Prudence, humility before superior power, and avoidance of reckless harm are implied as dharmic responses.
A distressed speaker addresses the gods, warning that the child before them is extraordinarily powerful—so powerful that he could even kill Brahmā in battle. Because of this, he lacks the courage to attempt killing the child, and Indra repeatedly emphasizes this danger to the assembled deities.