Shloka 32

इन्द्रवृत्रयुद्धवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

प्रतार्यमाणा कूटेषु यथा निम्नेषु नित्यश: । शिलातलेषु संत्रस्ता पन्नगेन्द्रवधूरिव,यह क्रमशः नीचे-नीचेके शिखरोंपर गिरती हुई सदा तीव्रगतिसे बहती है और शिलाखण्डोंके नीचे इस प्रकार समायी जाती है, मानो भयभीत सर्पिणी बिलमें घुसी जा रही हो

Transliteration

pratāryamāṇā kūṭeṣu yathā nimneṣu nityaśaḥ | śilātaleṣu saṃtrastā pannagendravadhūr iva ||

Translation

శిఖరాల నుంచి దిగువ శిఖరాలకూ నిత్యం తోసుకుపోతూ ఉద్ధృత వేగంతో ప్రవహిస్తుంది; శిలాఫలకాల కిందకు భయపడిన నాగరాజు భార్య బిలంలోకి దూరినట్లుగా కలిసిపోతుంది.

Word by Word

प्रतार्यमाणाbeing driven/impelled, rushing (along)

कूटेषुon/among peaks, summits

यथाas, just as

निम्नेषुin low places, depressions

नित्यशःalways, continually

शिलातलेषुon rock-surfaces / under slabs of rock

संत्रस्ताterrified, frightened

पन्नगेन्द्रवधूःthe wife/bride of the serpent-king

इवlike, as if

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

pannagendra (king of serpents)

pannagendravadhū (wife of the serpent-king)

śilā (rock/slab)

kūṭa (peak/crag)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses vivid natural imagery to convey how fear can compel a being to seek immediate refuge, emphasizing the psychological reality of terror and the instinct to withdraw to safety—an ethical reminder to recognize vulnerability and the consequences of threat or violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker describes someone’s frightened movement by comparing it to a fast-flowing stream cascading downward and disappearing beneath rocks, and to a serpent-queen slipping into her hole—highlighting sudden retreat and concealment under pressure.