Shloka 7
अत्रिर॒वाच कथं रक्षामि भवतस्ते<ब्रुवंश्वन्द्रमा भव । तिमिरघ्नश्न सविता दस्युहन्ता च नो भव
atrir uvāca: kathaṁ rakṣāmi bhavatas te? bruvan: candramā bhava; timiraghnaś ca savitā, dasyuhantā ca no bhava.
अत्रिरुवाच— “कथं रक्षामि भवतः?” तेऽब्रुवन्— “चन्द्रमा भव; सविता च तिमिरघ्नो भव। अस्माकं कृते दस्युहन्ता च भव—एतान् दानवान् नाशय।”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Protection of the righteous may require assuming a role that dispels ignorance and fear (symbolized by darkness) and actively restrains destructive forces; ethical guardianship is both illuminating (guiding) and corrective (removing harm).
Atri asks how he can safeguard the gods; they instruct him to take on the functions of the Moon and the Sun—dispelling darkness—and to destroy the hostile marauders/demonic enemies threatening them.