Shloka 31

The Slaying of Vṛtrāsura

Devanagari script

ईशब्रह्मादयः खे तु स्थिता द्रष्टुं तदद्भुतं । तयोर्हुंकारशब्देन गदापातस्वनेन च

Transliteration

īśabrahmādayaḥ khe tu sthitā draṣṭuṃ tadadbhutaṃ | tayorhuṃkāraśabdena gadāpātasvanena ca

Translation

Иша, Брахма и прочие боги стояли в небесах, чтобы узреть то диво; и гул их сражения — рёв «хумкары» и грохот падающей булавы — разнёсся вокруг.

Word by Word

• ईशब्रह्मादयः: Īśa, Brahmā and others
• ईशब्रह्मादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश + ब्रह्म + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘ईशः ब्रह्म च आदयः’ (including Īśa and Brahmā)

• खे: in the sky
• खे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• स्थिताः: stood; remained
• स्थिताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), अव्ययभाव

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अद्भुतम्: marvelous; wondrous
• अद्भुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तयोः: of the two
• तयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, द्विवचन

• हुंकारशब्देन: by the sound of their roar (huṃkāra)
• हुंकारशब्देन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुंकार + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• गदापातस्वनेन: by the clang/sound of the mace-strikes
• गदापातस्वनेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा + पात + स्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration; specific dialogue pair not explicit in this single verse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ईश+ब्रह्म+आदयः→ईशब्रह्मादयः (समास); तत्+अद्भुतम्→तदद्भुतम्; तयोः+हुंकारशब्देन→तयोर्हुंकारशब्देन (विसर्ग-सन्धि); गदा+पात+स्वनेन→गदापातस्वनेन (समास)

Characters & Entities

• Īśa (Śiva)
• Brahmā
• Devas (gods)
• Two combatants (unnamed in this verse)

FAQs

What is being described as the “marvel” in this verse?

The verse depicts a wondrous, awe-inspiring scene—gods like Śiva and Brahmā watching from the sky while two figures clash, marked by roaring cries (huṃkāra) and the loud impact of a mace.

Why are Īśa and Brahmā described as standing in the sky?

It indicates a celestial vantage point: the gods remain aloft as witnesses, emphasizing the event’s cosmic scale and extraordinary nature.

What ethical or spiritual lesson can be drawn from the imagery of gods as witnesses?

The scene suggests that actions—especially intense conflict and displays of power—unfold before higher witnessing intelligences, encouraging restraint, accountability, and awareness of cosmic order (dharma).