Shloka 3

इन्द्रवृत्रयुद्धवर्णनम्

Indra–Vṛtra Conflict and the Adversaries’ Tapas-Targeting Counsel

Devanagari script

ततो राजर्षय: सर्वे विषण्णा गतचेतस: । वातापिं संस्कृतं॑ दृष्टवा मेषभूतं महासुरम्‌,भेड़के रूपमें महान्‌ दैत्य वातापिको ही राँधा गया देख उन सभी राजर्षियोंका मन खिन्न हो गया और वे अचेतसे हो गये

Transliteration

tato rājarṣayaḥ sarve viṣaṇṇā gatacetasaḥ | vātāpiṃ saṃskṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā meṣabhūtaṃ mahāsuram ||

Translation

అప్పుడు ఆ రాజర్షులందరూ, గొర్రె రూపంలో వండబడిన మహాసురుడు వాతాపిని చూసి, తీవ్రంగా విషణ్ణులయ్యారు; వారి మనస్సు కుంగిపోయి, వారు যেন చైతన్యరహితులైనట్లు నిలిచారు.

Word by Word

tataḥthen, thereafter

rājarṣayaḥroyal sages

sarveall

viṣaṇṇāḥdejected, downcast

gatacetasaḥwhose minds were gone (bewildered/unconscious)

vātāpimVātāpi (name of the demon)

saṃskṛtamprepared/cooked (as food)

dṛṣṭvāhaving seen

meṣabhūtamhaving become a ram (ram-formed)

mahāsuramthe great demon

Speaker

लोगमश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lomasha

Rājarṣis

Vātāpi

Ram (meṣa) form

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical horror of adharma disguised as hospitality: when violence and deceit are presented as welcome or food, even the righteous are shaken. It cautions that outward appearances can conceal grave wrongdoing, and that dharmic people must remain discerning.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa describes how the assembled royal sages see Vātāpi—transformed into a ram and cooked as a dish—and, realizing the sinister nature of the act, become deeply distressed and mentally stunned.