iti - thus; indra-anucaraiḥ - by the followers of Indra; brahman - O brāhmaṇa; dharṣitaḥ - impudently attacked; api - although; mahā-muniḥ - the elevated sage; yat - that; na agāt - he did not succumb; ahamaḥ - of false ego; bhāvam - to the transformation; na - not; tat - that; citram - surprising; mahatsu - for great souls; hi - indeed.

O brāhmaṇa, the followers of Lord Indra had impudently attacked the saintly Mārkaṇḍeya, yet he did not succumb to any influence of false ego. For great souls such tolerance is not at all surprising.