Shloka 66
उस महान् युद्धमें नाना प्रकारके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंक समुदाय उनके ऊपर चलाये गये; परंतु उनके द्वारा इन्द्रके उस कवच-बन्धनकी सन्धि भी नहीं काटी जा सकी ।। ततो जघान समरे वृत्रं देवपति: स्वयम् । तं च मन्त्रमयं बन्धं वर्म चाड्िरसे ददौ,तदनन्तर देवराज इन्द्रने स्वयं ही समरांगणमें वृत्रासुरको मार डाला। इसके बाद उन्होंने वह कवच तथा उसे बाँधनेकी मन्त्रयुक्त विधि अंगिराको दे दी
tatra mahati yuddhe nānāvidhāstrāṇi śastrāṇi ca teṣāṃ śirasi pramuktāni; kintu taiḥ śakrasya tasya kavaca-bandhanasya sandhir api na chidyata. tato jaghāna samare vṛtraṃ devapatiḥ svayam. taṃ ca mantramayaṃ bandhaṃ varma cāṅgirase dadau.
In that great battle, many kinds of weapons and missiles were hurled against him; yet even so, they could not sever the joint or fastening of Indra’s protective armor-binding. Then the lord of the gods, Indra himself, struck down Vṛtra on the battlefield. Afterward, he bestowed upon Aṅgiras both that armor and the mantra-empowered method by which it was bound—signaling that power in war is not merely force, but also disciplined knowledge entrusted to worthy custodians.
शर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage contrasts sheer martial force with protected power sustained by disciplined knowledge (mantra). It also highlights ethical stewardship: potent methods of protection are not left uncontrolled but are entrusted to a qualified sage (Aṅgiras), implying responsibility in the transmission of power.
Despite many weapons being used, Indra’s armor-binding cannot be cut. Indra then personally slays Vṛtra in battle and afterward gives both the armor and the mantra-based method of fastening it to the sage Aṅgiras.