Shloka 75
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
विष्णोश्ष॒क्रंं च तद् घोरं वज़ञमाखण्डलस्य च । शीर्ण पुराभवत् तात ग्रहस्याड्रेषु केशव
viṣṇoś cakraṃ ca tad ghoraṃ vajram ākhāṇḍalasya ca | śīrṇaṃ purābhavat tāta grahasyāṅgeṣu keśava ||
Vāsudeva said: “O dear one, O Keśava—both that dreadful discus of Viṣṇu and the thunderbolt of Ākhāṇḍala (Indra) had, in former times, grown worn and shattered upon the limbs of that Graha. The meaning is this: even the mightiest divine weapons may fail when a being is guarded by extraordinary power; therefore one should not rely on force alone, but seek the rightful means and the higher order that governs victory.”
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that sheer power—even divine weaponry—does not guarantee success against a being shielded by exceptional protection; ethical and effective action requires understanding the deeper order (dharma) and choosing the proper means rather than relying only on violence.
Vāsudeva recalls an earlier episode in which Viṣṇu’s discus and Indra’s thunderbolt struck a formidable Graha, yet the weapons themselves became worn and shattered on its limbs—highlighting the Graha’s extraordinary resilience and setting up the need for a different approach.