Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

वैरोचनाय संरब्धो भगवान्पाकशासन: । उदयच्छद् यदा वज्रं प्रजा हा हेति चुक्रुशु: ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

vairocanāya saṁrabdho bhagavān pāka-śāsanaḥ udayacchad yadā vajraṁ prajā hā heti cukruśuḥ

Translation

When the most powerful Indra became angry and took his thunderbolt in hand to kill Mahārāja Bali, the demons began lamenting, “Alas, alas!”

Synonyms

• vairocanāya: to Virocana’s (son) / to Virocana
• vairocanāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virocana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• saṁrabdhaḥ: enraged
• saṁrabdhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṁrabdha (कृदन्त; √rabh रभ् + सम्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; past passive participle used adjectivally

• bhagavān: the Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• pāka-śāsanaḥ: Indra (punisher of Pāka)
• pāka-śāsanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāka (प्रातिपदिक) + śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘pākasya śāsanaḥ’ (punisher of Pāka)

• udayacchat: raised / lifted up
• udayacchat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yam (यम्) with ud- (उद्) (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada; form: ud + a + yacchat

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• vajram: the thunderbolt
• vajram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• prajāḥ: the people
• prajāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• hā: alas!
• hā: Sambodhana-prayoga (सम्बोधन/उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hā (अव्यय)
• Form: Exclamation/particle (उद्गार-अव्यय)

• hā: alas!
• hā: Sambodhana-prayoga (सम्बोधन/उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hā (अव्यय)
• Form: Exclamation/particle (उद्गार-अव्यय)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग) marking direct speech/thought

• cukruśuḥ: cried out
• cukruśuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kruś (क्रुश्) (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Plural; parasmaipada

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Pākaśāsana)
• Bali Mahārāja (Vairocana’s son)
• Virocana

FAQs

Why did Indra raise his thunderbolt against Bali in Srimad Bhagavatam?

Because Indra became enraged at Bali (the son of Virocana) during the Deva–Asura battle and prepared to strike him with the vajra.

Who is Pākaśāsana mentioned in Bhagavatam 8.11.2?

Pākaśāsana is a well-known epithet of Indra, meaning “the chastiser of Pāka.”

What practical lesson does Bhagavatam 8.11.2 give for modern life?

It highlights how anger can escalate conflict; a devotee learns to seek self-control and act with discernment rather than impulsive wrath.