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Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 22

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

शताभ्यां मातलिं पाको रथं सावयवं पृथक् । सकृत्सन्धानमोक्षेण तदद्भ‍ुतमभूद् रणे ॥ २२ ॥

śatābhyāṁ mātaliṁ pāko rathaṁ sāvayavaṁ pṛthak sakṛt sandhāna-mokṣeṇa tad adbhutam abhūd raṇe

Pāka, ein weiterer Asura, legte zweihundert Pfeile zugleich auf seinen Bogen und ließ sie in einem einzigen Abschuss los; getrennt traf er den Wagen mit all seinem Zubehör und den Wagenlenker Mātali. Auf dem Schlachtfeld war dies wahrlich eine wunderbare Tat.

शताभ्याम्with two hundreds
शताभ्याम्:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootशत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental, 3rd), द्विवचन; ‘by two hundreds’
मातलिम्Mātali (Indra’s charioteer)
मातलिम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमातलि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन
पाकःPāka (a demon)
पाकः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपाक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/Nominative, 1st), एकवचन
रथम्chariot
रथम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन
स-अवयवम्together with its parts
स-अवयवम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअवयव (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्ग/सह-भाव)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘with its parts’ (सहित-सम्बन्ध)
पृथक्separately
पृथक्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपृथक् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘separately’
सकृत्once
सकृत्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसकृत् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘once/at one time’
सन्धान-मोक्षेणby (the act of) joining and releasing
सन्धान-मोक्षेण:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootसन्धान (प्रातिपदिक) + मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः ‘by joining and releasing’
तत्that
तत्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)
अद्भुतम्wonderful
अद्भुतम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण
अभूत्was / became
अभूत्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलुङ्-लकार (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘became/was’
रणेin battle
रणे:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootरण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative, 7th), एकवचन
I
Indra (Pāka)
M
Mātali

FAQs

It describes a battlefield wonder: Indra (Pāka) struck Mātali and the chariot into separated parts with many blows, yet it was restored in a single act—showing extraordinary, divine capability during the Deva–Asura war.

Because despite being shattered into pieces, it became whole again immediately, highlighting supernatural power and the marvels that occur in celestial battles described in the Bhagavatam.

Even when circumstances seem “broken,” divine arrangement can restore what is needed for dharma; a devotee learns steadiness, faith, and focus on righteous duty amid conflict.