Shloka 15

Vṛtra’s Cosmic Threat, Viṣṇu’s Upāya, and the Conditional Vulnerability

Udyoga-parva 10

Devanagari script

समीपमेत्य च यदा सर्व एव महौजस: । त॑ तेजसा प्रज्वलितं प्रतपन्तं दिशो दश

Transliteration

samīpam etya ca yadā sarva eva mahaujasaḥ | taṁ tejasā prajvalitaṁ pratapantaṁ diśo daśa ||

Translation

शल्य ने कहा—जब वे सब महाबली देवता समीप पहुँचे, तब उन्होंने वृत्रासुर को अपने तेज से प्रज्वलित, दसों दिशाओं को तपाता हुआ देखा।

Word by Word

• समीपम्: near, proximity (as goal)
• समीपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एत्य: having come/approached
• एत्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (गत्यर्थक धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यदा: when
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महौजसः: of great vigor/might (the mighty ones)
• महौजसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महौजस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तेजसा: by (his) radiance/energy
• तेजसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रज्वलितम्: blazing, kindled
• प्रज्वलितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+ज्वल्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतपन्तम्: scorching, heating
• प्रतपन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+तप्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya
• Vṛtrāsura
• Indra
• Devatāḥ (the gods)
• Daśa diśaḥ (ten directions)
• Trailokya (three worlds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Immense power (tejas/ojas) inspires awe but also threatens dharma when it becomes world-consuming; the protection of cosmic order may require decisive action even against a formidable opponent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra and the assembled gods approach Vṛtrāsura and see him blazing so fiercely that he seems to scorch all directions, appearing capable of devouring the three worlds.