Shloka 42

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

Udyoga-parva 10

Devanagari script

नमस्कृत: सर्वभूतै: सर्वभूतान्यसान्त्वयत्‌ । हत्वा शत्रु प्रह्षशत्मा वासव: सह दैवतै:

Transliteration

namaskṛtaḥ sarvabhūtaiḥ sarvabhūtāny asāntvayat | hatvā śatruṃ prahṛṣṭātmā vāsavaḥ saha daivataiḥ ||

Translation

ಸರ್ವಭೂತಗಳು ವಾಸವ (ಇಂದ್ರ)ನಿಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕರಿಸಿದವು; ಅವನು ಎಲ್ಲ ಜೀವಿಗಳನ್ನು ಸಾಂತ್ವನಗೊಳಿಸಿದನು. ಶತ್ರುವನ್ನು ಸಂಹರಿಸಿ ದೇವತೆಗಳೊಡನೆ ಅವನ ಹೃದಯ ಹರ್ಷದಿಂದ ತುಂಬಿತು॥

Word by Word

• नमस्कृतः: having been saluted / honored
• नमस्कृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नमस्कृत (नमस् + कृत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वभूतैः: by all beings
• सर्वभूतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सर्वभूतानि: all beings
• सर्वभूतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• असान्त्वयत्: he consoled
• असान्त्वयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सान्त्वय् (सान्त्व्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• शत्रून्: enemies
• शत्रून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रहृष्टात्मा: whose heart/soul was delighted
• प्रहृष्टात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहृष्टात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वासवः: Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सह: together with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• दैवतैः: with the gods / deities
• दैवतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsava (Indra)
• daivatāḥ (the gods)
• śatru (the enemy)
• sarvabhūta (all beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when force is used to remove a threat, dharmic leadership requires restoring reassurance and stability for all beings; victory is ethically incomplete without consoling and protecting those affected.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śalya describes Indra (Vāsava) after killing an enemy: all beings salute him, he feels elated along with the gods, and he then comforts and reassures the beings who look to him for protection.