Shloka 831

निवातकवचवधः — Arjuna’s Neutralization of the Nivātakavacas

Vajra-astra deployment

Devanagari script

रथेनानेन मघवा जितवान्‌ शम्बरं युधि । नमुचिं बलवृत्रौ च प्रह्लादनरकावपि

Transliteration

rathenānena maghavā jitavān śambaraṃ yudhi | namuciṃ balavṛtrau ca prahlādanarakāv api ||

Translation

Arjuna disse: “Com este mesmo carro, Maghavān (Indra) venceu Śambara em batalha; e também subjugou Namuci, o poderoso Vṛtra, e até Prahlāda e Naraka. Assim, este carro é lembrado como instrumento de vitória justa sobre poderes opressores.”

Word by Word

• रथेन: by/with the chariot
• रथेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अनेन: by/with this
• अनेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मघवा: Maghavan (Indra)
• मघवा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मघवन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जितवान्: conquered/defeated
• जितवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic perfect), Third, Singular, Masculine

• शम्बरम्: Śambara (a demon)
• शम्बरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्बर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• नमुचिम्: Namuci
• नमुचिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमुचि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बलम्: Bala (a demon)
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वृत्रौ: Vṛtra (and another; dual form)
• वृत्रौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रह्लादम्: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नरकम्: Naraka
• नरकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Maghavān (Indra)
• Chariot (ratha)
• Śambara
• Namuci
• Vṛtra
• Prahlāda
• Naraka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses Indra’s victories as an exemplar: rightful strength and divinely sanctioned means (symbolized by the chariot) are invoked to affirm confidence in confronting forces that threaten cosmic and social order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna identifies a particular chariot as renowned, citing that Indra (Maghavān) used it to defeat famous adversaries—Śambara, Namuci, Vṛtra, Prahlāda, and Naraka—thereby emphasizing the chariot’s proven power and auspicious history.