Shloka 21
Dadhīci’s Supreme Charity and the Opening of Indra’s War with Vṛtrāsura
नमुचि: शम्बरोऽनर्वा द्विमूर्धा ऋषभोऽसुर: । हयग्रीव: शङ्कुशिरा विप्रचित्तिरयोमुख: ॥ १९ ॥ पुलोमा वृषपर्वा च प्रहेतिर्हेतिरुत्कल: । दैतेया दानवा यक्षा रक्षांसि च सहस्रश: ॥ २० ॥ सुमालिमालिप्रमुखा: कार्तस्वरपरिच्छदा: । प्रतिषिध्येन्द्रसेनाग्रं मृत्योरपि दुरासदम् ॥ २१ ॥ अभ्यर्दयन्नसम्भ्रान्ता: सिंहनादेन दुर्मदा: । गदाभि: परिघैर्बाणै: प्रासमुद्गरतोमरै: ॥ २२ ॥
namuciḥ śambaro ’narvā dvimūrdhā ṛṣabho ’suraḥ hayagrīvaḥ śaṅkuśirā vipracittir ayomukhaḥ
Ratusan dan ribuan daitya-dānava, yakṣa dan rākṣasa—dipimpin Sumāli dan Māli—berhias perhiasan emas, menahan barisan hadapan tentera Indra yang bahkan Maut pun sukar menembusinya. Antara mereka ialah Namuci, Śambara, Anarvā, Dvimūrdhā, Ṛṣabha, Hayagrīva, Śaṅkuśirā, Vipracitti, Ayomukha, Pulomā, Vṛṣaparvā, Praheti, Heti dan Utkala. Dengan raungan seperti singa, tanpa gentar dan mabuk angkuh, mereka menyakiti para dewa dengan gada, belantan besi, panah, lembing berduri, penukul dan tombak.
FAQs
This verse lists prominent asura leaders—Namuci, Śambara, Anarvā, Dvimūrdhā, Ṛṣabha, Hayagrīva, Śaṅkuśirā, Vipracitti, and Ayomukha—who came to oppose Indra’s army.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī enumerates the leaders to show the scale and organization of the demoniac forces confronting the devas in the climactic war.
It reminds a devotee that challenges can be formidable and many, yet dharma is upheld by steadiness and faith rather than intimidation by numbers or power.