Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 38

Indra Slays Namuci—The Limits of Power and the Triumph of Divine Strategy

Devanagari script

मयास्मै यद् वरो दत्तो मृत्युर्नैवार्द्रशुष्कयो: । अतोऽन्यश्चिन्तनीयस्ते उपायो मघवन् रिपो: ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

mayāsmai yad varo datto mṛtyur naivārdra-śuṣkayoḥ ato ’nyaś cintanīyas te upāyo maghavan ripoḥ

Translation

وقال الصوت أيضًا: «يا مَغَفان (إندرا)، لأنني منحتُ هذا الشيطان نعمةً ألا يُقتل بسلاحٍ يابسٍ ولا رطب، فعليك أن تتدبّر وسيلةً أخرى لقتل عدوّك.»

Synonyms

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता/agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; pronoun ‘by me’

• अस्मै: to him
• अस्मै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; ‘to him’

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; relative pronoun referring to वरः

• वरः: boon
• वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• दत्तः: given
• दत्तः: Karta (कर्ता in copular sense)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agreeing with वरः

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• आर्द्र-शुष्कयोः: of (the) wet and dry
• आर्द्र-शुष्कयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārdra (प्रातिपदिक) + śuṣka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva compound (द्वन्द्व) ‘wet and dry’; Neuter (as pair), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; causal adverb ‘therefore/from that’

• अन्यः: another
• अन्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying उपायः

• चिन्तनीयः: to be considered
• चिन्तनीयः: Karta (कर्ता in predicative sense)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √cint (धातु) + anīya (अनीयर्)
• Form: Gerundive/obligatory participle (कृत्य, अनीयर्), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘to be thought of’

• ते: for you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th), Singular; ‘for you’

• उपायः: means, strategy
• उपायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मघवन्: O Maghavan (Indra)
• मघवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maghavan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• रिपोः: of the enemy
• रिपोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Indra (Maghavan)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about boons like “not killed by wet or dry”?

This verse shows that a boon can restrict certain modes of death, but it does not make one absolutely immortal; a different lawful means can still be found within the boon’s limits.

Why did Brahmā say this to Indra (Maghavan)?

Brahmā reminds Indra of the exact condition of the boon he had granted to the enemy, advising Indra to devise a strategy that does not violate the ‘wet or dry’ restriction.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Be precise about promises and constraints, and when facing obstacles, look for creative solutions that remain ethical and within the given rules.