Shloka 42

Vṛtra’s Cosmic Threat, Viṣṇu’s Upāya, and the Conditional Vulnerability

Udyoga-parva 10

Devanagari script

नमस्कृत: सर्वभूतै: सर्वभूतान्यसान्त्वयत्‌ । हत्वा शत्रु प्रह्षशत्मा वासव: सह दैवतै:

Transliteration

namaskṛtaḥ sarvabhūtaiḥ sarvabhūtāny asāntvayat | hatvā śatruṃ prahṛṣṭātmā vāsavaḥ saha daivataiḥ ||

Translation

ਸਾਰੇ ਜੀਵਾਂ ਨੇ ਵਾਸਵ (ਇੰਦਰ) ਨੂੰ ਨਮਸਕਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਸਭ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਂਤਵਨਾ ਦਿੱਤੀ। ਸ਼ਤ੍ਰੂ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਰ ਕੇ ਉਹ ਦੇਵਤਿਆਂ ਸਮੇਤ ਹਿਰਦੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਹರ್ಷ ਨਾਲ ਭਰ ਗਿਆ॥

Word by Word

• नमस्कृतः: having been saluted / honored
• नमस्कृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नमस्कृत (नमस् + कृत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वभूतैः: by all beings
• सर्वभूतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सर्वभूतानि: all beings
• सर्वभूतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• असान्त्वयत्: he consoled
• असान्त्वयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सान्त्वय् (सान्त्व्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• शत्रून्: enemies
• शत्रून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रहृष्टात्मा: whose heart/soul was delighted
• प्रहृष्टात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहृष्टात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वासवः: Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सह: together with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• दैवतैः: with the gods / deities
• दैवतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsava (Indra)
• daivatāḥ (the gods)
• śatru (the enemy)
• sarvabhūta (all beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when force is used to remove a threat, dharmic leadership requires restoring reassurance and stability for all beings; victory is ethically incomplete without consoling and protecting those affected.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śalya describes Indra (Vāsava) after killing an enemy: all beings salute him, he feels elated along with the gods, and he then comforts and reassures the beings who look to him for protection.