Shloka 17
Vāsudeva’s Upadeśa: The Inner Enemy and the Indra–Vṛtra Precedent (आत्मशत्रु-बोधः; इन्द्र-वृत्रोपाख्यानम्)
Devanagari script
स वध्यमानो वजेण तस्मिन्नमिततेजसा
Transliteration
sa vadhyamāno vajreṇa tasminnamitatejasā
Translation
स वध्यमानो वज्रेण तस्मिन्नमिततेजसा।
Word by Word
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वध्यमानःbeing struck/killed
वध्यमानः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवध्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वज्रेणwith a thunderbolt/weapon
वज्रेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवज्र
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
तस्मिन्in/at that (one/place/time)
तस्मिन्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
अमिततेजसाby/with (one of) immeasurable splendor
अमिततेजसा:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootअमिततेजस्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
Speaker
वायुदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
व
वज्र (vajra, thunderbolt)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the idea that overwhelming power, especially when associated with divine or righteous authority, can function as a necessary instrument to curb and destroy what must be restrained for the maintenance of order.
A figure is described as being struck down—‘being slain’—by a vajra (thunderbolt) wielded by someone characterized as possessing immeasurable splendor, emphasizing the decisive and unstoppable nature of the blow.