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Shloka 53

इन्द्रस्य दुःखप्राप्तिः—त्रिशिरोवधः, वृत्रोत्पत्तिः, जृम्भिकाजननम्

Indra’s Distress: Slaying of Triśiras, Birth of Vṛtra, and the Origin of Yawning

असृजंस्ते महासत्त्वा जृम्भिकां वृत्रनाशिनीम्‌ । विजृम्भमाणस्य ततो वृत्रस्यास्थादपावृतात्‌

asṛjaṃs te mahāsattvā jṛmbhikāṃ vṛtranāśinīm | vijṛmbhamāṇasya tato vṛtrasyāsthād apāvṛtāt ||

于是,那些大力诸天生起了“呵欠之力”(jṛmbhikā),此力注定要毁灭弗栗陀。弗栗陀打呵欠、张口大伸之际,因陀罗——诛灭婆罗(Bala)者——收束四肢,从那张开的口中滑身而出。自此以后,使众生打呵欠的力量便寄居于一切有情的呼吸之中。

असृजन्they created/emitted
असृजन्:
TypeVerb
Rootसृज्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
तेthose (they)
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
महासत्त्वाःgreat beings / mighty ones
महासत्त्वाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहासत्त्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
जृम्भिकाम्the yawning-power (Jṛmbhikā)
जृम्भिकाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootजृम्भिका
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
वृत्रनाशिनीम्destroying Vṛtra
वृत्रनाशिनीम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootवृत्रनाशिनी
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
विजृम्भमाणस्यof (him) who was gaping/yawning
विजृम्भमाणस्य:
TypeVerb
Rootवि-जृम्भ्
FormPresent participle (Śatṛ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
ततःthen/from there
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
वृत्रस्यof Vṛtra
वृत्रस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootवृत्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
आस्थात्he stood/positioned himself
आस्थात्:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-स्था
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
अपावृतात्from (the mouth) opened/turned aside
अपावृतात्:
Apadana
TypeVerb
Rootअप-आ-वृत्
FormPast passive participle (kta), Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

शल्य उवाच

शल्य (Śalya)
देवाः (the gods)
जृम्भिका (Jṛmbhikā)
वृत्र (Vṛtra)
इन्द्र (Indra)
बल (Bala)

Educational Q&A

The verse offers an etiological myth: an everyday bodily act (yawning) is traced to a cosmic event. It also implies that even overwhelming threats can be overcome through intelligent, timely means rather than brute force alone—aligning power with right order (dharma) and strategic discernment.

Śalya recounts how the gods generated a special force called Jṛmbhikā to bring about Vṛtra’s downfall. When Vṛtra yawned and opened his mouth wide, Indra contracted himself and escaped from the opening; thereafter the ‘yawning-force’ is said to reside in the life-breaths of beings.