Previous Verse
Next Verse

Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 39

Indra Slays Namuci—The Limits of Power and the Triumph of Divine Strategy

तां दैवीं गिरमाकर्ण्य मघवान्सुसमाहित: । ध्यायन् फेनमथापश्यदुपायमुभयात्मकम् ॥ ३९ ॥

tāṁ daivīṁ giram ākarṇya maghavān susamāhitaḥ dhyāyan phenam athāpaśyad upāyam ubhayātmakam

Setelah mendengar sabda ilahi itu, Indra menjadi sangat khusyuk dan terpusat. Sambil bermeditasi mencari jalan, dia melihat bahawa buih adalah caranya, kerana buih bukanlah basah dan bukan juga kering.

ताम्that
ताम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; referring to गिरम्
दैवीम्divine
दैवीम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootdaivī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying गिरम्
गिरम्speech, utterance
गिरम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootgir (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
आकर्ण्यhaving heard
आकर्ण्य:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootā-√kṛ (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), avyaya; ‘having heard’
मघवान्Maghavan (Indra)
मघवान्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmaghavan (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सु-समाहितःwell-composed, fully attentive
सु-समाहितः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsu (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + sam-ā-√dhā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; with prefix su- ‘well’; qualifying मघवान्
ध्यायन्thinking, meditating
ध्यायन्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√dhyai (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; used adverbially with subject ‘while thinking’
फेनम्foam
फेनम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootphena (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatha (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; sequential particle (अनन्तर/समुच्चय)
अपश्यत्saw
अपश्यत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√paś (धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada
उपायम्means, method
उपायम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootupāya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
उभयात्मकम्of a dual nature (both)
उभयात्मकम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootubhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष) ‘having the nature of both’; Neuter/Masculine Accusative Singular agreeing with उपायम् (masc. acc. sg.)
I
Indra (Maghavān)

FAQs

This verse shows Indra becoming fully composed upon hearing a divine instruction and then, through contemplation, recognizing a practical solution—implying that divine guidance is best received with steadiness and applied with thoughtful discernment.

Because the situation required a method that would bypass opposing conditions or restrictions; by meditating, Indra perceived foam as a unique instrument fitting a dual category, enabling the next step in the battle narrative.

When facing a complex problem, first become calm and attentive, then reflect deeply—often a creative “third option” appears that avoids extremes and resolves the issue effectively.