Shloka 35

इन्द्रस्य दुःखप्राप्तिः—त्रिशिरोवधः, वृत्रोत्पत्तिः, जृम्भिकाजननम्

Indra’s Distress: Slaying of Triśiras, Birth of Vṛtra, and the Origin of Yawning

Devanagari script

शक्र उवाच पश्चाद्‌ धर्म चरिष्यामि पावनार्थ सुदुश्चरम्‌ । शत्रुरेष महावीरयों वज्ेण निहतो मया

Transliteration

śakra uvāca paścād dharma cariṣyāmi pāvanārtha suduścaram | śatrur eṣa mahāvīryo vajreṇa nihato mayā ||

Translation

Śakra (Indra) said: “After this, for the sake of purification, I shall undertake a dharma-observance that is exceedingly difficult. This was my mighty and powerful enemy, whom I have slain with the thunderbolt.”

Word by Word

• {'śakra': 'Indra

• the lord of the gods', 'uvāca': 'said', 'paścāt': 'afterwards

• thereafter', 'dharma': 'righteous duty

• religious observance', 'cariṣyāmi': 'I shall practice/undertake', 'pāvanārtham': 'for the purpose of purification', 'suduścaram': 'very difficult to perform

• arduous', 'śatruḥ': 'enemy', 'eṣa': 'this (one)', 'mahāvīryaḥ': 'of great valor/power', 'vajreṇa': 'with the vajra (thunderbolt weapon)', 'nihataḥ': 'slain

• killed', 'mayā': 'by me'}

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• vajra (thunderbolt weapon)
• enemy (unnamed in this verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a victorious act of force can carry moral and ritual consequences; therefore one must accept responsibility and undertake difficult dharmic discipline for purification rather than claiming immunity due to power or status.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra declares that he has killed a formidable enemy with his vajra and then states his intention to perform an arduous religious observance to purify himself afterward, implying the need for expiation following a grave act.