Vṛtra’s Cosmic Threat, Viṣṇu’s Upāya, and the Conditional Vulnerability
Udyoga-parva 10
विष्णु त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठ पूजयामास धर्मवित् । ततो हते महावीर्यें वृत्रे देवभयंकरे
viṣṇuṃ tribhuvanaśreṣṭhaṃ pūjayāmāsa dharmavit | tato hate mahāvīrye vṛtre devabhayaṅkare |
ଶଲ୍ୟ କହିଲେ—ଧର୍ମଜ୍ଞ ଦେବରାଜ ତ୍ରିଭୁବନଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଭଗବାନ ବିଷ୍ଣୁଙ୍କୁ ପୂଜା କଲେ। ତାପରେ ଦେବମାନଙ୍କୁ ଭୟ ଦେଉଥିବା ମହାବୀର୍ୟବାନ ବୃତ୍ର ହତ ହେବା ପରେ, ବିଶ୍ୱାସଘାତଜନିତ ଅସତ୍ୟରେ ଅଭିଭୂତ ହୋଇ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର ମନେ ଗଭୀର ଶୋକରେ ଡୁବିଗଲେ; ଏବଂ ତ୍ରିଶିରା-ବଧରୁ ଉତ୍ପନ୍ନ ବ୍ରହ୍ମହତ୍ୟା ପାପ ତ ଆଗରୁ ହିଁ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଆବରଣ କରିଥିଲା॥
शल्य उवाच
Even when a deed appears to secure victory or safety, violating trust and committing grave wrongdoing (asatya, viśvāsa-ghāta, brahmahatyā) produces inner torment and moral consequence; devotion and ritual honor cannot simply erase ethical culpability without confronting the fault.
After Vṛtra, a fearsome enemy of the gods, is killed, the narrative turns to Indra’s inner state: he becomes mentally distressed, burdened by the sense of betrayal and by the already-present stain of brahmahatyā connected with the killing of Triśiras; alongside this, worship of Viṣṇu is mentioned as a significant act in the aftermath.