Shloka 18

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 33: Vāsuki’s Council on Averting the Sarpa-satra

Devanagari script

वव्राज तरसा वेगाद्‌ वायुं स्पर्थनू महाजव: । तं व्रजन्तं खगश्रेष्ठं वज्रेणेन्द्रो5भ्यताडयत्‌

Transliteration

Śaunaka uvāca |

vavrāja tarasā vegād vāyuṃ spṛśanū mahājavaḥ |

taṃ vrajantaṃ khagaśreṣṭhaṃ vajreṇendro 'bhyatāḍayat ||

Translation

तो महावेगवान गरुड प्रचंड वेगाने उडत निघाला, जणू वायूशी स्पर्धा करीत होता. जात असलेल्या त्या खगश्रेष्ठावर इंद्राने वज्राने आघात केला.

Word by Word

• वव्राज: went forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada

• तरसा: with speed/force
• तरसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरस्
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• वेगात्: from/owing to impetus
• वेगात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग
• Form: masculine, ablative, singular

• वायुम्: the wind
• वायुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• स्पर्धन्: competing (with)
• स्पर्धन्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पर्ध्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• महाजवः: of great speed
• महाजवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाजव
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• व्रजन्तम्: going
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रज्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine, accusative, singular

• खगश्रेष्ठम्: the best of birds
• Type: Noun
• Root: खगश्रेष्ठ
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• वज्रेण: with the thunderbolt
• वज्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अभ्यताडयत्: struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: तड्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada, अभि

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शौनक (Śaunaka)
• इन्द्र (Indra)
• वज्र (Vajra, thunderbolt)
• वायु (Vāyu, wind)
• खगश्रेष्ठ (the best of birds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral tension: even divine authority (Indra) may resort to force when challenged, prompting reflection on restraint, rightful power, and the ethical limits of intervention against another being’s determined pursuit.

What is happening in the narrative?

A supremely swift bird speeds forward with such force that it seems to touch the wind itself; seeing it in flight, Indra strikes the bird with his thunderbolt.