Shloka 3

Vṛtrāsura Instructs Indra on Providence and Devotion; The Slaying of Vṛtrāsura

Devanagari script

ख आपतत्तद्विचलद्ग्रहोल्कव- न्निरीक्ष्य दुष्प्रेक्ष्यमजातविक्लव: । वज्रेण वज्री शतपर्वणाच्छिनद् भुजं च तस्योरगराजभोगम् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

kha āpatat tad vicalad graholkavan nirīkṣya duṣprekṣyam ajāta-viklavaḥ vajreṇa vajrī śata-parvaṇācchinad bhujaṁ ca tasyoraga-rāja-bhogam

Translation

Am Himmel glich Vṛtrāsuras Dreizack einem strahlenden Meteor. Obwohl die lodernde Waffe kaum anzublicken war, zerschlug der furchtlose Indra sie mit seinem hundertgliedrigen Vajra und hieb zugleich einen von Vṛtrāsuras Armen ab, dick wie der Leib Vāsukis, des Schlangenkönigs.

Synonyms

• kham: the sky
• kham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; accusative singular neuter

• āpatat: fell/descended
• āpatat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√pat (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• tat: that (it)
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun (that)

• vicalat: moving, whirling
• vicalat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√cal (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; present active participle

• graha-ulkā-vat: like a meteor/comet
• graha-ulkā-vat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: graha (प्रातिपदिक) + ulkā (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; -वत् (like) adjective; compound: ग्रह-उल्का (comet/meteor) + वत्

• nirīkṣya: having seen
• nirīkṣya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; having seen/after seeing

• duṣprekṣyam: hard to behold
• duṣprekṣyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dus + prekṣya (√īkṣ/√prekṣ, कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘hard to look at’

• ajāta-viklavaḥ: unbewildered, undaunted
• ajāta-viklavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ajāta (प्रातिपदिक) + viklava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; compound: अजाता (not arisen) + विक्लव (confusion/faintheartedness) = ‘not becoming bewildered’

• vajreṇa: with the thunderbolt
• vajreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• vajrī: Indra (the thunderbolt-wielder)
• vajrī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘thunderbolt-bearer’ (Indra)

• śata-parvaṇā: hundred-jointed
• śata-parvaṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक) + parvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘having a hundred joints/segments’; agrees with vajra (instr.)

• acchinat: cut off
• acchinat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√chid (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• bhujam: arm
• bhujam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; accusative singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• tasya: of him (of Vṛtra)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; genitive singular

• uraga-rāja-bhogam: the serpent-king-like coil (i.e., huge arm)
• uraga-rāja-bhogam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uraga (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + bhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; compound: उरग-राज (king of serpents) + भोग (coil/hood)

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Vṛtrāsura

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Indra’s thunderbolt (Vajra)?

This verse describes Indra using the śata-parva Vajra to sever Vṛtrāsura’s serpent-like arm, emphasizing the Vajra as a decisive divine weapon in the cosmic battle.

Why did Indra attack Vṛtrāsura in Canto 6 Chapter 12?

In this chapter’s battle narrative, Indra confronts Vṛtrāsura as the leader of the opposing side; this verse highlights Indra’s steadiness and his counterstrike when a terrifying weapon is hurled at him.

What is the practical lesson of this shloka for modern life?

Even when facing something “hard to look at” (overwhelming fear or crisis), steadiness and duty-driven action—without panic—can cut through obstacles decisively.