Shloka 16
Akṛtavraṇa’s Account Begins: Gādhi–Satyavatī–Ṛcīka and the Bhārgava Lineage Prelude
कार्तवीर्यका ऐसा अत्याचार देख देवता तथा महान् व्रतका पालन करनेवाले ऋषि मिलकर दैत्योंका विनाश करनेवाले सत्यपराक्रमी देवाधिदेव भगवान् विष्णुके पास जा इस प्रकार बोले--“भगवन्! आप समस्त प्राणियोंकी रक्षाके लिये कृतवीर्यकुमार अर्जुनका वध कीजिये।” एक दिन शक्तिशाली हैहयराजने दिव्य विमानद्वारा शचीके साथ क्रीड़ा करते हुए देवराज इन्द्रपर आक्रमण किया। भारत! तब भगवान् विष्णुने कार्तवीर्य अर्जुनका नाश करनेके सम्बन्धमें इन्द्रके साथ विचार-विनिमय किया
kārtavīryakāḥ etādṛśam atyācāraṃ dṛṣṭvā devatāś ca mahāvratadhārina ṛṣayaś ca sametya daityavināśanaṃ satyaparākramaṃ devādhidevaṃ bhagavantaṃ viṣṇum upetyaivam ūcuḥ— “bhagavan! sarvaprāṇirakṣārthaṃ kṛtavīryakumāram arjunaṃ vadhyatām.” ekadā śaktimān haihayarājo divyavimānena śacyā saha krīḍan devarājam indram abhyākrāmat. bhārata! tataḥ bhagavān viṣṇuḥ kārtavīryārjunasya nāśaviṣaye indreṇa saha vicāravimarśaṃ cakāra.
Akṛtavraṇa berkata: “Melihat penindasan sedemikian oleh keturunan Kārtavīrya, para dewa dan para resi agung yang memegang sumpah berhimpun lalu menghadap Viṣṇu—pemusnah Daitya, yang keberaniannya benar dan tidak pernah goyah—seraya memohon: ‘Wahai Tuhan, demi melindungi semua makhluk, bunuhlah Arjuna, putera Kṛtavīrya.’ Pernah sekali, raja Haihaya yang perkasa, ketika bersuka ria bersama Śacī di atas vimāna surgawi, malah melancarkan serangan terhadap Indra, raja para dewa. Wahai Bhārata, ketika itu Viṣṇu berbincang dengan Indra tentang cara membawa kebinasaan kepada Kārtavīrya Arjuna—sebagai jawapan terhadap kezaliman dan demi memelihara tertib kosmos.”
अकृतव्रण उवाच
Educational Q&A
When power becomes oppressive and threatens the welfare of beings, dharma may require decisive restraint of the wrongdoer. The verse frames punishment not as personal vengeance but as protection of all creatures and restoration of cosmic order, undertaken through deliberation and legitimate authority.
The gods and vow-keeping sages, distressed by the atrocities associated with Kārtavīrya’s line, approach Viṣṇu and request the slaying of Kārtavīrya Arjuna for the sake of universal protection. The narrative adds that the Haihaya king even attacked Indra while enjoying with Śacī in a celestial chariot, after which Viṣṇu and Indra consult about his destruction.