Shloka 33
Vṛtra’s Cosmic Threat, Viṣṇu’s Upāya, and the Conditional Vulnerability
Udyoga-parva 10
इन्द्र भी हर्षमें भरकर सदा उससे मिलने लगे, परंतु वे वृत्रके वधसम्बन्धी उपायोंको ही सोचते रहते थे ।। छिद्रान्वेषी समुद्विग्न: सदा वसति देवराट् । स कदाचित् समुद्रान्ते समपश्यन्महासुरम्
chidrānveṣī samudvignaḥ sadā vasati devarāṭ | sa kadācit samudrānte samapaśyan mahāsuram ||
ਛਿਦ੍ਰ (ਕਮਜ਼ੋਰ ਥਾਂ) ਦੀ ਤਲਾਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਦਾ ਉਦਵਿਗਨ ਦੇਵਰਾਜ ਇੰਦਰ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ ਬੇਚੈਨ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਸੀ। ਇੱਕ ਵਾਰ ਸਮੁੰਦਰ ਦੇ ਕੰਢੇ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਉਸ ਮਹਾਸੁਰ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖਿਆ।
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a powerful ruler must remain ethically alert: victory over a grave enemy requires not only strength but also careful discernment of a legitimate means (upāya). Indra’s agitation and ‘search for a flaw’ reflect the moral and strategic burden of acting rightly while confronting danger.
Indra, the king of the gods, is portrayed as constantly uneasy and watchful, seeking a decisive opening. In this state he goes to the ocean’s edge and there sees a mighty asura, setting up the next development in the account.