Shloka 40
Vṛtra’s Cosmic Threat, Viṣṇu’s Upāya, and the Conditional Vulnerability
Udyoga-parva 10
वितिमिरा5भवन् | प्रववी च शिवो वायु: प्रजाश्न जहृषुस्तथा,वृत्रासुरके मारे जानेपर सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंका अन्धकार दूर हो गया, शीतल-सुखद वायु चलने लगी और सम्पूर्ण प्रजामें हर्ष छा गया
vitimirā abhavan | pravavau ca śivo vāyuḥ prajāś ca jahṛṣuḥ tathā | vṛtrāsura-vadhe jāte sarvāsu diśāsv andhakāraḥ apāgamat, śītalaḥ sukhadaś ca vāyuḥ pravavau, samastāsu prajāsu ca harṣaḥ samajāyata |
เมื่อวฤตราสูรถูกสังหาร ความมืดในทุกทิศก็สลายไป ลมเย็นอันเป็นมงคลพัดมา และหมู่ประชาทั้งปวงก็เปี่ยมด้วยความยินดี
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses a mythic exemplum—Vṛtra’s fall—to show that when a great obstructive force is removed, the world’s order and well-being manifest as auspicious signs: clarity replaces darkness, gentle winds arise, and society experiences collective relief. Ethically, it implies that the defeat of adharma restores harmony for all beings, not merely for the victors.
Śalya describes auspicious portents: darkness in all directions clears, a pleasant wind blows, and the populace rejoices. He frames these signs by comparing them to the cosmic relief said to occur when Vṛtrāsura was slain, emphasizing a turning point marked by public uplift and favorable omens.