Shloka 21
Vṛtrāsura Rebukes Indra; Heroic Combat and the Asura’s Pure Devotional Prayers
अहं समाधाय मनो यथाह न: सङ्कर्षणस्तच्चरणारविन्दे । त्वद्वज्ररंहोलुलितग्राम्यपाशो गतिं मुनेर्याम्यपविद्धलोक: ॥ २१ ॥
ahaṁ samādhāya mano yathāha naḥ saṅkarṣaṇas tac-caraṇāravinde tvad-vajra-raṁho-lulita-grāmya-pāśo gatiṁ muner yāmy apaviddha-lokaḥ
ਤੇਰੇ ਵਜ੍ਰ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਚੰਡ ਵੇਗ ਨਾਲ ਮੇਰਾ ਭੌਤਿਕ ਬੰਧਨ ਟੁੱਟ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ; ਮੈਂ ਇਹ ਦੇਹ ਅਤੇ ਇੱਛਾਵਾਂ ਵਾਲਾ ਇਹ ਲੋਕ ਤਿਆਗ ਦਿਆਂਗਾ। ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਸੰਕਰਸ਼ਣ ਦੇ ਚਰਨ ਕਮਲਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਮਨ ਟਿਕਾ ਕੇ, ਜਿਵੇਂ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਮੈਂ ਨਾਰਦ ਮੁਨੀ ਵਰਗੇ ਮਹਰਿਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਗਤੀ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ।
The words ahaṁ samādhāya manaḥ indicate that the most important duty at the time of death is to concentrate one’s mind. If one can fix his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, Saṅkarṣaṇa or any Viṣṇu mūrti, his life will be successful. To be killed while fixing his mind at the lotus feet of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vṛtrāsura asked Indra to release his vajra, or thunderbolt. He was destined to be killed by the thunderbolt given by Lord Viṣṇu; there was no question of its being baffled. Therefore Vṛtrāsura requested Indra to release the thunderbolt immediately, and he prepared himself by fixing his mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. A devotee is always ready to give up his material body, which is described herein as grāmya-pāśa, the rope of material attachment. The body is not at all good; it is simply a cause of bondage to the material world. Unfortunately, even though the body is destined for destruction, fools and rascals invest all their faith in the body and are never eager to return home, back to Godhead.
FAQs
This verse says that worldly bonds can be shattered when one’s mind is fixed in samādhi on the Lord’s lotus feet; then one rejects the ordinary, materialistic path and moves toward the sage’s destination.
While facing Indra in battle, Vṛtrāsura reveals his pure devotion—declaring that even death by Indra’s thunderbolt becomes favorable because it frees him from worldly ties and allows him to remember Saṅkarṣaṇa’s lotus feet.
Practice steady remembrance of the Lord (through japa, prayer, and study) and consciously loosen material entanglements; life’s shocks can be used as reminders to deepen focus on devotion rather than cling to worldly identity.