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 dit : «Ô bien-aimé, ô Keśava — jadis, le disque redoutable de Viṣṇu comme la foudre (vajra) d’Ākhāṇḍala (Indra) s’étaient usés et brisés sur les membres de ce Graha. Telle est la leçon : même les plus grandes armes divines peuvent devenir impuissantes lorsqu’un être est protégé par une puissance extraordinaire ; aussi ne faut-il pas s’en remettre à la seule force, mais rechercher le moyen légitime et l’ordre supérieur qui gouverne la victoire.»
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.