Shloka 17
नाहत्वा हि महाबाहो शत्रूनेति करं पुनः । सा शक्तिर्देवराजस्य शतशो5थ सहस्रश:,महाबाहो! देवराज इन्द्रकी वह शक्ति युद्धमें सैकड़ों-हजारों शत्रुओंका वध किये बिना पुनः हाथमें लौटकर नहीं आती
nāhatvā hi mahābāho śatrūn eti karaṃ punaḥ | sā śaktir devarājasya śataśo ’tha sahasraśaḥ ||
Sūrya berkata: “Wahai yang berlengan perkasa, lembing itu tidak kembali ke tangan sebelum terlebih dahulu membunuh musuh. Demikianlah senjata raja para dewa, Indra: ia kembali hanya setelah menumbangkan musuh—beratus-ratus, bahkan beribu-ribu.”
सूर्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grave, irreversible momentum of divine or lethal power: once unleashed, it is not meant to be recalled without consequence. Ethically, it cautions that resorting to overwhelming force entails responsibility for the destruction it brings.
Sūrya describes the nature of Indra’s śakti: it does not return to the thrower’s hand unless it has first slain enemies, and it is capable of killing vast numbers. The statement functions as a warning about the weapon’s deadly certainty and scale.