śrī-śukaḥ uvāca - Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; te - they; evam - thus; śaṁsataḥ - praising; dharmam - the principles of religion; vacaḥ - the words; patyuḥ - of their master; acetasaḥ - their minds being very disturbed; na - not; eva - indeed; agṛhṇanta - accepted; sambhrāntāḥ - fearful; palāyana-parāḥ - intent upon fleeing; nṛpa - O King.

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, Vṛtrāsura, the commander in chief of the demons, advised his lieutenants in the principles of religion, but the cowardly demoniac commanders, intent upon fleeing the battlefield, were so disturbed by fear that they could not accept his words.