Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

अन्येऽप्येवं प्रतिद्वन्द्वान्वाय्वग्निवरुणादय: । सूदयामासुरसुरान् मृगान्केसरिणो यथा ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

anye ’py evaṁ pratidvandvān vāyv-agni-varuṇādayaḥ sūdayām āsur asurān mṛgān kesariṇo yathā

Translation

Vāyu, Agni, Varuṇa und andere Halbgötter begannen die Dämonen zu töten, die ihnen widerstanden, wie Löwen im Wald Hirsche reißen.

Synonyms

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• pratidvandvān: counter-opponents
• pratidvandvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratidvandva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vāyu-agni-varuṇa-ādayaḥ: Vāyu, Agni, Varuṇa and others
• vāyu-agni-varuṇa-ādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक) + varuṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); dvandva-compound with ādayaḥ = 'and others'

• sūdayāma: they slew
• sūdayāma: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sūd (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्/Aorist), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• āsur: did/indeed (aux.)
• āsur: Kriya (क्रिया-सहायक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्/Aorist), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Plural; auxiliary with preceding verb (periphrastic aorist)

• asurān: the demons (Asuras)
• asurān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mṛgān: deer
• mṛgān: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kesariṇaḥ: lions
• kesariṇaḥ: Upamāna-kartā (उपमान-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kesarin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative indeclinable (उपमा-प्रदर्शक अव्यय)

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu
• Agni
• Varuṇa
• Asuras

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 8.11.42 say about the demigods defeating the demons?

It states that demigods like Vāyu, Agni, and Varuṇa fought their corresponding opponents and began killing the asuras, compared to lions overpowering forest animals.

Why are the demigods compared to lions in Bhagavatam 8.11?

The comparison emphasizes their overwhelming strength and dominance in that moment of the battle, showing the asuras being swiftly subdued.

What practical lesson can a devotee take from this verse?

When dharma is protected and divine order is upheld, opposing forces lose power; a devotee can apply this by aligning actions with righteousness and seeking shelter in the Lord’s arrangement.