Devanagari
सुरेश कस्मान्न हिनोषि वज्रं
पुर: स्थिते वैरिणि मय्यमोघम् ।
मा संशयिष्ठा न गदेव वज्र:
स्यान्निष्फल: कृपणार्थेव याच्ञा ॥ १९ ॥
Verse text
sureśa kasmān na hinoṣi vajraṁ
puraḥ sthite vairiṇi mayy amogham
mā saṁśayiṣṭhā na gadeva vajraḥ
syān niṣphalaḥ kṛpaṇārtheva yācṣā
Synonyms
sura
—
īśa — O King of the demigods
;
kasmāt
—
why
;
na
—
not
;
hinoṣi
—
you hurl
;
vajram
—
the thunderbolt
;
puraḥ sthite
—
standing in front
;
vairiṇi
—
your enemy
;
mayi
—
at me
;
amogham
—
which is infallible (your thunderbolt)
;
mā
—
do not
;
saṁśayiṣṭhāḥ
—
doubt
;
na
—
not
;
gadā iva
—
like the club
;
vajraḥ
—
the thunderbolt
;
syāt
—
may be
;
niṣphalaḥ
—
with no result
;
kṛpaṇa
—
from a miserly person
;
arthā
—
for money
;
iva
—
like
;
yācṣā
—
a request .
Translation
O King of the demigods, since I, your enemy, am standing before you, why don’t you hurl your thunderbolt at me? Although your attack upon me with your club was certainly useless, like a request of money from a miser, the thunderbolt you carry will not be useless. You need have no doubts about this.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
O King of the devatās! Since I, your enemy, am standing before you, why don't you hurl your infallible thunderbolt at me? Have no doubt. The thunderbolt will not be like the club, which is as useless as requesting money from a miser.
Just as you desire to live and enjoy the happiness of Svarga, I desire to die and serve the lotus feet of the Lord in Vaikuṇṭha. Both your desire and my desire should be fulfilled. Why do you delay in killing me? That is expressed in this verse. “When will you become the target of the thunderbolt?” I am right in front of you now, with no opposition. “But throwing the thunderbolt at your big body may also be fruitless.” The thunderbolt is never without result (amogham). “What will I do if the thunderbolt ends up in your hands like my club, and is used to attack me?” Do not have doubt. The thunderbolt will not be without effect. It will not be like requesting something from a miser.
Purport
When King Indra threw his club at Vṛtrāsura, Vṛtrāsura caught it in his left hand and retaliated by using it to strike the head of Indra’s elephant. Thus Indra’s attack was a disastrous failure. Indeed, Indra’s elephant was injured and thrown back fourteen yards. Therefore even though Indra stood with the thunderbolt to hurl against Vṛtrāsura, he was doubtful, thinking that the thunderbolt might also fail. Vṛtrāsura, however, being a Vaiṣṇava, assured Indra that the thunderbolt would not fail, for Vṛtrāsura knew that it had been prepared in accordance with the instructions of Lord Viṣṇu. Although Indra had doubts because he could not understand that Lord Viṣṇu’s order never fails, Vṛtrāsura understood Lord Viṣṇu’s purpose. Vṛtrāsura was eager to be killed by the thunderbolt manufactured according to Lord Viṣṇu’s instructions because he was sure that he would thus return home, back to Godhead. He was simply waiting for the opportunity of the thunderbolt’s being released. In effect, therefore, Vṛtrāsura told Indra, “If you want to kill me, since I am your enemy, take this opportunity. Kill me. You will gain victory, and I shall go back to Godhead. Your deed will be equally beneficial for both of us. Do it immediately.”