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Shloka 156

Vāsudeva’s Upadeśa: The Inner Enemy and the Indra–Vṛtra Precedent (आत्मशत्रु-बोधः; इन्द्र-वृत्रोपाख्यानम्)

आकाशमभिदुद्राव जग्राह विषयं ततः । वायुके भीतर अमित तेजस्वी वज्ञसे पीड़ित हो वृत्रासुर भागकर आकाशमें जा छिपा और उसके विषयको ग्रहण करने लगा

ākāśam abhidudrāva jagrāha viṣayaṃ tataḥ | vāyuke bhītara amit tejasvī vajñase pīḍito ho vṛtrāsura bhāgakara ākāśa meṃ jā chipā aura usake viṣayako grahaṇa karane lagā

आकाशमभिदुद्राव जग्राह विषयं ततः । वज्रपीडितोऽमिततेजाः स वृत्रासुरो वायोर्भीतः पलायित्वा व्योम्नि निलीनः, तस्य विषयं जग्राह ॥

आकाशम्sky
आकाशम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआकाश
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अभिदुद्रावran towards / rushed at
अभिदुद्राव:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootद्रु (धावने)
FormPerfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular
जग्राहseized / took hold
जग्राह:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootग्रह् (ग्रहणे)
FormPerfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular
विषयम्object / domain / sphere
विषयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootविषय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
ततःthen / thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः

वायुदेव उवाच

वायुदेव (Vāyu)
वृत्रासुर (Vṛtrāsura/Vṛtra)
वज्र (Vajra, thunderbolt)
आकाश (Ākāśa, the sky)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the moral logic of consequence in epic narrative: when one is overpowered by a superior force and burdened by the results of one’s actions, mere escape or concealment does not remove accountability; power and order continue to pursue disorder.

Vṛtrāsura, wounded and distressed by the thunderbolt and frightened of Vāyu’s might, rushes into the sky to hide and tries to seize his chosen refuge or objective, while Vāyu narrates the event.