Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 10
The Devas Arm Nahuṣa: Divine Weapons, Mātali’s Chariot, and the March Against Huṇḍa
राजानं प्रत्युवाचैव देवराजस्य भाषितम् । विजयी भव धर्मज्ञ रथेनानेन संगरे
rājānaṃ pratyuvācaiva devarājasya bhāṣitam | vijayī bhava dharmajña rathenānena saṃgare
他便将天王之言转告国王：“通达达摩者啊，乘此战车，于战阵中得胜吧。”
Unspecified (a narrator/attendant relaying Indra’s message to the king)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रत्युवाचैव = प्रत्युवाच + एव; रथेनानेन = रथेन + अनेन; देवराजस्य (देव-राज) तत्पुरुष-समास; धर्मज्ञ (धर्म-ज्ञ) तत्पुरुष-समास।
FAQs
“Devarāja” commonly denotes Indra, the king of the gods, and the verse explicitly frames the statement as “devarājasya bhāṣitam”—words spoken by him.
The epithet “dharmajña” suggests that even warfare is to be approached under dharma—right conduct, just cause, and disciplined action—rather than mere aggression.
The chariot often represents sanctioned power and preparedness; here it functions as a concrete sign of divine assistance, implying that victory is supported when aligned with dharma.