Vṛtra’s Cosmic Threat, Viṣṇu’s Upāya, and the Conditional Vulnerability
Udyoga-parva 10
सवज्रमथ फेन त॑ क्षिप्रं वृत्रे निसृष्टवान् | प्रविश्य फेनं तं विष्णुरथ वृत्रं व्यनाशयत्
sa-vajram atha phenaṁ taṁ kṣipraṁ vṛtre nisṛṣṭavān | praviśya phenaṁ taṁ viṣṇur atha vṛtraṁ vyanāśayat |
So entschlossen schleuderte Indra den Schaum — zusammen mit dem Vajra, dem Donnerkeil — rasch auf Vṛtrāsura. In diesem Augenblick trat der Herr Viṣṇu in den Schaum ein, und Vṛtra wurde vernichtet.
शल्य उवाच
Righteous action succeeds when it accords with dharma and is supported by higher order: even an unconventional instrument (foam) becomes effective when guided by divine presence and a just aim.
Śalya recounts how Indra, after considering the situation, quickly strikes Vṛtra with foam along with the vajra; Viṣṇu enters that foam, enabling the destruction of Vṛtra.