Shloka 38
इन्द्रस्य दुःखप्राप्तिः—त्रिशिरोवधः, वृत्रोत्पत्तिः, जृम्भिकाजननम्
Indra’s Distress: Slaying of Triśiras, Birth of Vṛtra, and the Origin of Yawning
शल्य उवाच एतच्छुत्वा तु तक्षा स महेन्द्रवचनात् तदा । शिरांस्यथ त्रिशिरस: कुठारेणाच्छिनत् तदा,शल्य कहते हैं--राजन्! यह सुनकर बढ़ईने उस समय महेन्द्रकी आज्ञाके अनुसार कुठारसे त्रिशिराके तीनों सिरोंके टुकड़े-टुकड़े कर दिये
śalya uvāca: etac chrutvā tu takṣā sa mahendravacanāt tadā | śirāṁsy atha triśirasaḥ kuṭhāreṇācchinat tadā ||
Śalya said: “O King, having heard this, the carpenter then, in accordance with Mahendra’s command, struck with an axe and cut off the heads of Triśiras—splitting them apart.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between obedience to authority and the violent outcomes that obedience can produce: an artisan acts not from personal enmity but by carrying out a superior’s command, showing how responsibility and consequence can extend beyond the immediate actor.
Śalya narrates that, after hearing the instruction, a carpenter (takṣā) follows Mahendra/Indra’s order and uses an axe to sever the three heads of Triśiras.