Shloka 14
गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel
सुन्दोपसुन्दावसुरौ क्रिययैव निषूदितौ | क्रियाभ्युपायैरिन्द्रेण त्रिदिवं भुज्यते विभो
sundopasundāvasurau kriyayaiva niṣūditau | kriyābhyupāyairindreṇa tridivaṁ bhujyate vibho prabho |
Vāyu berkata: “Dua bersaudara asura, Sunda dan Upasunda, ditumpaskan semata-mata melalui tindakan yang bersifat strategi. Sesungguhnya, dengan cara-cara yang praktikal dan tersusun rapi, Indra menikmati serta mempertahankan kedaulatan di syurga. Maka, wahai tuan yang perkasa, bukan kekuatan semata-mata, tetapi tindakan yang bijaksana dan tepat pada waktunya yang menjamin kemenangan dan pemerintahan.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective outcomes—victory, protection, and stable rule—often depend on kriyā (well-executed action) and upāya (skillful means), not on brute force alone. The verse highlights an ethical-political lesson: intelligent strategy, when aligned with rightful aims, is a legitimate instrument of governance.
Vāyu addresses a powerful lord and cites a precedent: the asura brothers Sunda and Upasunda were eliminated through strategic action, and Indra continues to enjoy sovereignty in heaven through practical measures. The statement functions as counsel, urging reliance on effective, action-oriented stratagems.