Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

सर्वत: शरकूटेन शक्रं सरथसारथिम् । छादयामासुरसुरा: प्रावृट्‌सूर्यमिवाम्बुदा: ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

sarvataḥ śara-kūṭena śakraṁ saratha-sārathim chādayām āsur asurāḥ prāvṛṭ-sūryam ivāmbudāḥ

Translation

Andere Asuras bedeckten Śakra (Indra) samt Wagen und Wagenlenker von allen Seiten mit unablässigen Pfeilschauern, wie Regenzeitwolken die Sonne verhüllen.

Synonyms

• सर्वतः: from all sides
• सर्वतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place) ‘from all sides’

• शर-कूटेन: with a mass of arrows
• शर-कूटेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक) + कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘heap/mass of arrows’

• शक्रम्: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स-रथ-सारथिम्: along with his chariot and charioteer
• स-रथ-सारथिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + सारथि (प्रातिपदिक) + स (सह-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘together with (his) chariot and charioteer’ (सहित-सम्बन्ध)

• छादयाम्: covered
• छादयाम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छाद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, तृतीया-पुरुष, बहुवचन; periphrastic perfect base ‘they covered’ (छादयाम् + आसुः)

• आसुः: (they) did / were (auxiliary)
• आसुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, तृतीया-पुरुष, बहुवचन; सहायक-क्रिया (auxiliary) with छादयाम्

• असुराः: the demons
• असुराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रावृट्-सूर्यम्: the sun in the rainy season
• प्रावृट्-सूर्यम्: Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रावृट् (प्रातिपदिक) + सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘the sun (in/at) rainy season’

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-प्रदर्शक

• अम्बुदाः: clouds
• अम्बुदाः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘clouds’

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Asuras (demons)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Deva-Asura battle in Canto 8 Chapter 11?

It describes the intense warfare where the demons unleash overwhelming volleys of arrows, even covering Indra, showing how formidable material power can appear in battle.

Why did the demons cover Indra with a shower of arrows?

In the course of the Deva-Asura war, the demons attempted to overpower the king of heaven by force, surrounding him and obscuring him with a concentrated missile attack.

Practical application of this verse in modern life?

When problems “cloud” one’s life like monsoon clouds covering the sun, a devotee remembers that adversity can be overwhelming externally yet temporary—steadiness and faith help one endure and act wisely.