Shloka 86
Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve
Gandharva Encounter
कार्तिकेयके द्वारा महिषासुरका वध तमापततन्तं महिषं दृष्टवा सेन्द्रा दिवौकस: । व्यद्रवन्त रणे भीता विकीर्णायुधकेतना:,उस महिषासुरको आते देख इन्द्र आदि सब देवता भयभीत हो अपने अस्त्र-शस्त्र और ध्वजा फेंककर युद्धभूमिसे भागने लगे
tam āpatatantaṃ mahiṣaṃ dṛṣṭvā sendrā divaukasaḥ | vyadravanta raṇe bhītā vikīrṇāyudha-ketanāḥ ||
マールカンデーヤは語った。牛魔マヒシャースラが突進して来るのを見て、神々は—先頭にインドラを戴きながら—恐怖に呑まれた。戦のただ中で彼らは逃走し、武器を散らし、旗印さえ投げ捨てた。この場面は、いかに強大な者でも圧倒的な力の前では揺らぎ得ること、ゆえに秩序回復には不動の勇気と正しき力が要ることを示す。
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral vulnerability of even powerful beings: fear can cause loss of resolve and abandonment of duty. It implicitly points to the need for steadfastness and righteous strength (dharma-bala) when confronting destructive forces.
As the buffalo-demon (Mahiṣa/Mahiṣāsura) charges toward them, Indra and the other gods panic and flee the battlefield, dropping their weapons and standards—signaling a moment of divine defeat and disorder.