Shloka 34

कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī

Devanagari script

नमुचिर्वासवाद्‌ भीत: सूर्यरश्मिं समाविशत्‌

Transliteration

namucir vāsavād bhītaḥ sūryaraśmiṁ samāviśat | vadhiṣyāmy asuraśreṣṭha sakhe satyena te śape ||

Translation

ବାସବ (ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର) ଭୟରେ ଭୀତ ନମୁଚି ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟର କିରଣମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଲୀନ ହେଲା। ତେବେ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର ତାହା ସହିତ ମିତ୍ରତା କରି ସତ୍ୟର ଶପଥ ନେଇ କହିଲେ—‘ହେ ଅସୁରଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ, ସଖା! ମୁଁ ତୁମକୁ ନ ଭିଜା ଅସ୍ତ୍ରରେ ମାରିବି, ନ ଶୁଖିଲା ଅସ୍ତ୍ରରେ; ନ ଦିନେ, ନ ରାତିରେ।’

Word by Word

• नमुचिः: Namuci
• नमुचिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमुचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वासवात्: from Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• भीतः: afraid
• भीतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सूर्य: of the sun
• सूर्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रश्मिम्: ray
• रश्मिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रश्मि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समाविशत्: entered, merged into
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-विश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• वधिष्यामि: I will kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular

• असुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of Asuras
• असुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुरश्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सखे: O friend
• सखे: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सत्येन: by truth
• सत्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• शपे: I swear
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 1st, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Namuci
• Vāsava (Indra)
• Sūrya (Sun)
• Sūryaraśmi (sun-rays)
• Asura

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical tension between the sanctity of an oath (satya) and the possibility of manipulating its wording. It invites reflection on whether righteousness lies in merely keeping the literal terms of a vow or in honoring its intended moral spirit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Namuci, fearing Indra, hides by merging into the sun’s rays. Indra then befriends him and swears a protective-sounding promise—he will not kill Namuci with wet or dry weapons, nor in day or night—creating an apparent safeguard that later becomes a setup for a loophole-based killing.