Shloka 5
स चिच्छेद त्रिभिर्बाणैः शक्रः परपुरंजयः । ततो जघान दशभिरिंद्रमैरावणं त्रिभिः
sa ciccheda tribhirbāṇaiḥ śakraḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ | tato jaghāna daśabhiriṃdramairāvaṇaṃ tribhiḥ
Kemudian Śakra, penakluk kota-kota musuh, menebasnya dengan tiga anak panah. Sesudah itu baginda memanah Indra dengan sepuluh (panah) dan memanah Airāvata dengan tiga (panah).
Narrator (contextual epic narration; specific dialogue speaker not explicit in this single verse)
Concept: Power invites counter-power; worldly (and heavenly) victories are unstable without deeper spiritual anchoring.
Application: Do not equate success with invulnerability; cultivate humility and spiritual practice alongside competence.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A kinetic tableau of arrow-for-arrow exchange: Indra’s three shafts slice through the opponent’s defense, yet the asura retaliates with a fan of ten arrows aimed at Indra and three that bite toward Airāvata’s armored brow. Airāvata rears amid swirling cloud-dust, while celestial attendants scatter like sparks.","primary_figures":["Indra (Śakra, Purandara)","Asura/Daitya opponent","Airāvata","Mātali (implied)"],"setting":"Sky-battle with Indra’s chariot, Airāvata nearby, cloud banks torn by arrow trails and lightning filaments.","lighting_mood":"storm-lit radiance","color_palette":["electric violet","ashen grey","vajra gold","emerald green","blood red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic diagonal composition—Indra with gold leaf halo and ornate crown, bow drawn; opposing asura in dark metallic tones; ten arrows rendered as gold-tipped rays; Airāvata with jeweled caparison and gem inlays; thick ornamental borders, rich reds/greens, embossed thunderbolt motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: fine stippling for cloud texture, delicate arrow trajectories, Airāvata’s expressive eye and lifted trunk; cool blues and greys with selective gold; refined facial profiles and patterned textiles on chariot canopy.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized Airāvata with bold outlines and rhythmic curves, Indra in saturated red-yellow-green palette, arrows as repeated linear motifs; temple-wall symmetry with narrative clarity and iconic gestures.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: deep indigo ground with gold arrow arcs like floral tendrils; Airāvata framed by lotus medallions; border filled with thunderbolt-lotus alternation; Indra centered as a regal figure with ornate textile patterns and miniature attendants."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"commanding","sound_elements":["mridanga strokes","clashing cymbals","elephant trumpet","whistling arrows","rolling thunder"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्रिभिर्बाणैः = त्रिभिः बाणैः; दशभिरिंद्रमैरावणं = दशभिः इन्द्रम् ऐरावणम्
FAQs
Śakra, i.e., Indra, is praised as parapuraṃjaya—“conqueror of enemy fortresses/cities,” an epithet highlighting his martial supremacy among the Devas.
It depicts a combat exchange: Indra cuts down an opponent with three arrows, and then the opponent retaliates—striking Indra with ten arrows and Airāvata with three.
Not directly; this verse is primarily martial narration. Any ethical takeaway is indirect—showing the intensity of conflict and the vulnerability even of powerful celestial beings.