Shloka 9
Vāsudeva’s Upadeśa: The Inner Enemy and the Indra–Vṛtra Precedent (आत्मशत्रु-बोधः; इन्द्र-वृत्रोपाख्यानम्)
वृत्रस्य स ततः क्रुद्धो घोरं वज़्मवासृजत् । स वध्यमानो वज्ेण सुभृशं भूरितेजसा
vṛtrasya sa tataḥ kruddho ghoraṃ vajram avāsṛjat | sa vadhyamāno vajreṇa subhṛśaṃ bhūritejasā ||
Then, enraged at Vṛtra, he hurled the dreadful thunderbolt. Struck down by that thunderbolt—charged with immense fiery power—Vṛtra was violently assailed, as the divine force of Indra’s weapon bore upon him.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the overwhelming force of divinely sanctioned power when directed against a grave adversary: wrath and punishment are portrayed as effective only when backed by rightful authority and irresistible energy (tejas), underscoring the epic theme that power must be aligned with cosmic order to prevail.
Vāyu narrates a battle episode: the deity (implied wielder of the vajra, classically Indra) becomes angry at Vṛtra and hurls the terrible thunderbolt. Vṛtra is then struck and violently assailed by that immensely powerful weapon.