Shloka 16
Vāsudeva’s Upadeśa: The Inner Enemy and the Indra–Vṛtra Precedent (आत्मशत्रु-बोधः; इन्द्र-वृत्रोपाख्यानम्)
आकाशे वृत्रभूते5थ शब्दे च विषये हते
ākāśe vṛtrabhūte ’tha śabde ca viṣaye hate
When the sky had become as though obstructed (as by Vṛtra), and when sound itself—together with its field of operation—was struck down, the scene turned into a state of stunned stillness, as if the very medium of hearing had been overwhelmed.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses cosmic metaphor to show how overwhelming force can suspend ordinary functions (like sound and its perception), reminding the listener that human experience depends on subtle conditions that can be eclipsed by greater powers.
Vāyudeva describes a moment of extreme disturbance: the sky seems ‘Vṛtra-like’ (blocked or covered), and sound along with its perceptible range is ‘struck down,’ conveying a sudden, portentous hush amid upheaval.