Shloka 86
Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve
Gandharva Encounter
कार्तिकेयके द्वारा महिषासुरका वध तमापततन्तं महिषं दृष्टवा सेन्द्रा दिवौकस: । व्यद्रवन्त रणे भीता विकीर्णायुधकेतना:,उस महिषासुरको आते देख इन्द्र आदि सब देवता भयभीत हो अपने अस्त्र-शस्त्र और ध्वजा फेंककर युद्धभूमिसे भागने लगे
tam āpatatantaṃ mahiṣaṃ dṛṣṭvā sendrā divaukasaḥ | vyadravanta raṇe bhītā vikīrṇāyudha-ketanāḥ ||
摩罗迦ṇḍeya说道：见那牛魔摩醯娑阿修罗奔突而来，诸天——以因陀罗为首——尽为恐惧所攫。战阵之中，他们弃械而逃，兵刃四散，旌旗亦被抛落。此段表明：纵是强者，面对压倒性的威势亦会动摇；因此必须以坚定的勇气与正法之力，方能重建秩序。
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral vulnerability of even powerful beings: fear can cause loss of resolve and abandonment of duty. It implicitly points to the need for steadfastness and righteous strength (dharma-bala) when confronting destructive forces.
As the buffalo-demon (Mahiṣa/Mahiṣāsura) charges toward them, Indra and the other gods panic and flee the battlefield, dropping their weapons and standards—signaling a moment of divine defeat and disorder.