The Plea of Vṛtrāsura
The Plea of Vṛtrāsura
|| 6.11.1 ||
śrī-śuka uvāca
ta evaṁ śaṁsato dharmaṁ
vacaḥ patyur acetasaḥ
naivāgṛhṇanta sambhrāntāḥ
palāyana-parā nṛpa
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King! When Vṛtrāsura, the commander of the demons, advised his followers in the principles of religion, the frightened and disturbed demons, intent upon fleeing the battlefield, could not accept his words.
In the Eleventh Chapter, the words of Vṛtrāsura during the battle reveal his bravery and to some extent, his prema.
|| 6.11.2-3 ||
viśīryamāṇāṁ pṛtanām
āsurīm asurarṣabhaḥ
kālānukūlais tridaśaiḥ
kālyamānām anāthavat
dṛṣṭvātapyata saṅkruddha
indra-śatrur amarṣitaḥ
tān nivāryaujasā rājan
nirbhartsyedam uvāca ha
O King! Seeing his shelterless soldiers shattered and pursued by the devatās who were favored by time, Vṛtrāsura, enemy of Indra, the best of the demons, angry and intolerant, blocked the devatās and spoke to them as follows.
The demon soldiers acted as if without a master (anāthām). Tān refers to the devatās.
|| 6.11.4 ||
kiṁ va uccaritāḥ mātur
dhāvadbhiḥ pṛṣṭhato hataiḥ
na hi bhīta-vadhaḥ ślāghyo
na svargyaḥ śūra-māninām
O devatās like mother’s stool! What fame or dharma is there in killing fleeing demons from the back? Killing a person who is afraid is not glorious and does not bring Svarga to those who think themselves valorous.
Uccaritāḥ mātur means “O devatās like mother’s stool!” There is no glory or dharma in killing demons from the back. Some versions have the instrumental case uccaritaiḥ. It then describes the demons. Killing people who are afraid is not glorious. There is no dharma or fame for the killer or the killed. He criticizes both parties.
|| 6.11.5 ||
yadi vaḥ pradhane śraddhā
|
