Shloka 47
Vṛtra’s Cosmic Threat, Viṣṇu’s Upāya, and the Conditional Vulnerability
Udyoga-parva 10
भूमि: प्रध्वस्तसंकाशा निर्वुक्षा शुष्ककानना | विच्छिन्नस्रोतसो नद्य: सरांस्यनुदकानि च,वे जलमें विचरनेवाले सर्पकी भाँति पानीमें ही छिपकर रहने लगे। ब्रह्महत्याके भयसे पीड़ित होकर जब देवराज इन्द्र अदृश्य हो गये, तब यह पृथ्वी नष्ट-सी हो गयी। यहाँके वृक्ष उजड़ गये, जंगल सूख गये, नदियोंका स्रोत छिन्न-भिन्न हो गया और सरोवरोंका जल सूख गया
bhūmiḥ pradhvastasaṅkāśā nirvṛkṣā śuṣkakānanā | vicchinnasrotaso nadyaḥ sarāṃsy anudakāni ca ||
Śalya said: When Indra, tormented by fear of brahmahatyā, vanished from sight, the very earth appeared as though ruined. Trees were stripped away, forests dried up, the rivers’ currents were broken and scattered, and the lakes became waterless.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links grave moral transgression and fear of its consequence (brahmahatyā) with a breakdown of cosmic and natural order: when the ruler of the gods withdraws, the world’s fertility and stability collapse, implying that adharma has tangible, world-affecting results.
Śalya describes a time when Indra became invisible due to the fear of brahmahatyā; as a result, the earth looked devastated—trees vanished, forests dried, river-currents were disrupted, and lakes lost their water—depicting widespread drought and disorder.