Shloka 11
Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda
अनेन क्रतुभिमर्ुख्यै्नेष्टं नापि द्विजातय: । तर्पिता विधिवच्छक्र सोडयं कस्मादतीव माम्
Ambarīṣa uvāca: anena kratubhir mukhyair neṣṭaṃ nāpi dvijātayaḥ | tarpītā vidhivac chakra so ’yaṃ kasmād atīva mām (aiśvaryam īdṛśaṃ prāptaḥ sarvadevaiḥ sudurlabham | indradeva! asine na to baṛe-baṛe yajña kiye aur na vidhipūrvak brāhmaṇoṃ ko hī tṛpta kiyā | vahī yaha sudeva āj mujhko lāṅghkar ūpar-ūparse kaise jā rahā hai? ise aisā aiśvarya kahāṃse prāpta ho gayā, jo sampūrṇa devatāoṃ ke liye bhī atyanta durlabha hai?)
Ambarīṣa nói: “Hỡi Indra, người này chẳng hề cử hành những tế lễ tối thượng, cũng không làm thỏa lòng hàng ‘nhị sinh’ (dvija) bằng nghi lễ đúng phép. Vậy cớ sao nay hắn lại vượt xa ta đến thế, như thể bước qua đầu ta? Từ đâu hắn có được quyền uy ấy—một địa vị hiếm hoi đến mức ngay giữa chư thiên cũng khó gặp?”
अमग्बरीष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral tension: external ritual achievements (great sacrifices, formal gratification of Brahmins) are commonly treated as measures of merit, yet extraordinary prosperity may arise from other, less visible causes. It implicitly cautions against judging worth solely by public ritual credentials and exposes how envy can distort one’s sense of justice.
Ambarīṣa addresses Indra in protest and disbelief. He observes someone (identified in the Gita Press gloss as Sudeva) enjoying exceptional, almost god-like eminence despite not having performed renowned sacrifices or ritually honoring the twice-born. Ambarīṣa asks Indra to explain how such rare sovereignty was attained.