Shloka 39

Karṇa’s advance against the Pāṇḍava host; Arjuna’s clash with the Saṃśaptakas (कर्णस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रवेशः—अर्जुनस्य संशप्तकसंप्रहारः)

Devanagari script

तैरेव विबुधै: सार्ध पितामहमरिंदम । जगामाथ तदाख्यातु विप्रकारं सुरेतरै:,तप उग्र॑ समास्थाय नियमे परमे स्थिता: । उस समय देवताओंने दैत्योंको परास्त कर दिया था, यह हमारे सुननेमें आया है। राजन! दैत्योंके परास्त हो जानेपर तारकासुरके तीन पुत्र ताराक्ष, कमलाक्ष और विद्युन्माली उग्र तपस्याका आश्रय ले उत्तम नियमोंका पालन करने लगे शत्रुदमननरेश्वर! जब देवराज इन्द्र ब्रह्माजीका वर पाये हुए उन अभेद्य पुरोंका भेदन न कर सके, तब वे भयभीत हो उन पुरोंको छोड़कर उन्हीं देवताओंके साथ ब्रह्माजीके पास उन दैत्योंका अत्याचार बतानेके लिये गये

Transliteration

tair eva vibudhaiḥ sārdhaṃ pitāmaham ariṃdama | jagāmātha tadākhyātuṃ viprakāraṃ suretaraiḥ || tapo ugraṃ samāsthāya niyame parame sthitāḥ |

Translation

Duryodhana berkata: “Wahai penunduk musuh, bersama para dewa itu juga, Indra pergi menghadap Pitāmaha (Brahmā) untuk melaporkan penindasan yang dilakukan oleh musuh-musuh para dewa. Sesudah kaum Daitya ditewaskan, tiga putera Tārakāsura—Tārākṣa, Kamalākṣa, dan Vidyunmālī—berlindung pada tapa yang dahsyat dan tetap teguh dalam disiplin tertinggi. Tatkala Indra sendiri, meski dikuatkan oleh anugerah Brahmā, tidak mampu menembusi kota-kota mereka yang tak tertembus, para dewa pun gentar, meninggalkan benteng-benteng itu, lalu mendatangi Brahmā untuk mengadukan kezaliman kaum Daitya.”

Word by Word

तैःby them

एवindeed/only

विबुधैःby the gods

सार्धम्together with

पितामहम्the Grandfather (Brahmā)

अरिंदमO foe-subduer

जगामwent

अथthen

तत्that

आख्यातुम्to tell/declare

विप्रकारम्the oppression/violent conduct

सुरेतरैःby the non-gods (asuras)

तपःausterity

उग्रम्fierce

समास्थायhaving undertaken/resorted to

नियमेin observance/discipline

परमेsupreme

स्थिताःstood/remained

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

Indra

Brahmā (Pitāmaha)

Devas (Vibudhas)

Daityas/Asuras (Suretaras)

Tārakāsura

Tārākṣa

Kamalākṣa

Vidyunmālī

impregnable cities/forts (puras)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights how power gained through boons and austerity can be used for oppression, and how even the mighty must seek higher counsel when force fails. Ethically, it contrasts disciplined practice (tapas, niyama) with the misuse of the resulting power, implying that inner discipline is not automatically synonymous with righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the Daityas are defeated, Tārakāsura’s three sons perform severe austerities and become protected by near-invincible strongholds. Indra cannot break these forts, so the gods retreat and go with Indra to Brahmā (Pitāmaha) to report the Asuras’ oppression and seek a remedy.