Shloka 27

Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

ततोअब्रवीत्‌ सुरान्‌ शक्रो न मे शक्‍्या महासुरा:

Transliteration

tato 'bravīt surān śakro na me śakyā mahāsurāḥ

Translation

于是释迦罗（因陀罗）对诸天说道：“那些强大的阿修罗，我无法战胜。”

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)

• मे: of me, my
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: genitive, singular

• शक्याः: possible, feasible
• शक्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (प्रातिपदिक; √शक्-सम्भव/योग्यता-अर्थे)
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• महासुराः: great asuras/demons
• महासुराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Śakra (Indra)
• Suras (the gods)
• Asuras

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power without humility is incomplete: even Indra admits limitation, implying that dharmic success often depends on wise counsel, cooperation, and recognition of one’s bounds rather than mere force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana reports that Indra addresses the gods and confesses that the mighty Asuras are not conquerable by him alone, setting up the need for a broader strategy or assistance.