Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ततः सागरमासाद्य कुक्षौ तस्य महोर्मिण: । समुद्रनाभ्यां शाल्वो5भूत्‌ सौभमास्थाय शत्रुहन्‌,शत्रुनाशन! फिर समुद्रके निकट पहुँचकर उत्ताल तरंगोंवाले महासागरकी कुक्षिके अन्तर्गत उसके नाभिदेश (एक द्वीप)-में जाकर राजा शाल्व सौभविमानपर ठहरा हुआ था

Transliteration

tataḥ sāgaram āsādya kukṣau tasya mahormiṇaḥ | samudranābhyāṃ śālvo 'bhūt saubham āsthāya śatruhan śatrunāśana ||

Translation

Lalu, setelah mencapai lautan yang bergelora tinggi, Śālva—menaiki benteng-udara Saubha—memasuki bagian dalam samudra dan menuju ‘pusar’ lautan, suatu kawasan pusat laksana pulau; di sanalah ia menetap, berniat menumpas musuh-musuhnya.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

सागरम्the ocean

आसाद्यhaving reached/approached

कुक्षौin the belly/interior

तस्यof that (ocean)

महा-ऊर्मिणःof (him) having great waves

समुद्र-नाभ्याम्in the two sea-navel(s) / at the sea’s navel-region(s)

शाल्वःŚālva (king Śālva)

अभूत्was, became, came to be

सौभम्Saubha (the aerial city/vehicle)

आस्थायhaving mounted/occupied

शत्रुहन्O slayer of enemies

शत्रुनाशनO destroyer of enemies

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāsudeva

Śālva

Sāgara/Samudra (the ocean)

Saubha (aerial fortress/vehicle)

Samudranābhi (ocean’s navel/central island-region)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Adversaries may rely on concealment and extraordinary means to gain advantage; the ethical response is not confusion or fear, but steady discernment and preparedness—meeting छल (deception) with बुद्धि (clear judgment) while remaining anchored in dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsudeva describes Śālva reaching the turbulent ocean, entering its inner region, and positioning himself at the ‘navel’ of the sea while stationed in the Saubha aerial fortress, ready to attack enemies from a strategically hidden location.