Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

अभ्यद्रवन्त देवांस्ते सहस्नाणि दशैव हि । ततस्तैरदिता देवा: शरणं वासवं ययु:

Transliteration

abhyadravant devāṁs te sahasrāṇi daśaiva hi | tatas tair aditā devāḥ śaraṇaṁ vāsavaṁ yayuḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Bhīṣma: Sinalakay nila ang mga diyos—tunay ngang sampung libo ang bilang nila. Sa tindi ng panggigipit at pang-aapi, ang mga diyos na labis na nagdurusa ay tumakas at humingi ng kanlungan kay Vāsava (Indra). Ipinahihiwatig ng pangyayaring ito ang paulit-ulit na aral sa Mahābhārata: kapag ang kapangyarihan ay inaabuso upang pahirapan ang iba, ang mga pinahihirapan ay hahanap ng makatarungang pag-iingat, at ang pamumuno’y nasusubok sa tungkuling magkubli at magsauli ng kaayusan.

Word by Word

• {'abhyadravant': 'they rushed upon, charged at (violent advance)', 'devān': 'the gods, devas (celestial beings)', 'te': 'they, those (referring to the attackers)', 'sahasrāṇi': 'thousands', 'daśa': 'ten', 'eva': 'indeed, precisely', 'hi': 'for, indeed (emphatic particle)', 'tatas': 'then, thereafter', 'taiḥ': 'by them (instrumental plural)', 'aditāḥ': 'afflicted, tormented, distressed', 'devāḥ': 'the gods (subject)', 'śaraṇam': 'refuge, protection, shelter', 'vāsavam': 'Vāsava, Indra (lord of the Vasus

• epithet of Indra)', 'yayuḥ': 'they went, they resorted to (perfect/preterite plural)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Devas (gods)
• Vāsava (Indra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When the righteous are oppressed, seeking śaraṇa (refuge) with a rightful protector is appropriate; the protector’s dharma is to provide shelter and re-establish order against unjust aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

A host numbering ten thousand attacks the devas; the devas are badly afflicted and, unable to withstand the assault, flee to Vāsava (Indra) for protection.