Shloka 8
Vṛtrāsura Rebukes Indra; Heroic Combat and the Asura’s Pure Devotional Prayers
ममर्द पद्भ्यां सुरसैन्यमातुरं निमीलिताक्षं रणरङ्गदुर्मद: । गां कम्पयन्नुद्यतशूल ओजसा नालं वनं यूथपतिर्यथोन्मद: ॥ ८ ॥
mamarda padbhyāṁ sura-sainyam āturaṁ nimīlitākṣaṁ raṇa-raṅga-durmadaḥ gāṁ kampayann udyata-śūla ojasā nālaṁ vanaṁ yūtha-patir yathonmadaḥ
Di medan perang, Vṛtrāsura yang garang memijak-mijak bala tentera dewa yang ketakutan hingga memejamkan mata. Mengangkat trisula dan menggoncang bumi dengan kekuatannya, dia bagaikan gajah mengamuk di hutan yang memijak buluh-buluh kosong.
FAQs
It portrays Vṛtrāsura as overwhelmingly powerful in battle—trampling the demigod army, raising his trident, and shaking the earth like a maddened elephant leader shaking a forest.
The comparison highlights unstoppable force and battlefield frenzy: just as a powerful elephant leader can shake a forest, Vṛtrāsura’s might makes the earth tremble and the opposing army scatter.
External power and intensity can be immense, but Bhagavatam repeatedly guides the reader to look beyond violence to the deeper lesson of dharma and the ultimate supremacy of bhakti over mere strength.