Devanagari
न शुष्केण न चार्द्रेण जहार नमुचे: शिर: ।
तं तुष्टुवुर्मुनिगणा माल्यैश्चावाकिरन्विभुम् ॥ ४० ॥
Verse text
na śuṣkeṇa na cārdreṇa
jahāra namuceḥ śiraḥ
taṁ tuṣṭuvur muni-gaṇā
mālyaiś cāvākiran vibhum
Synonyms
na
—
neither
;
śuṣkeṇa
—
by dry means
;
na
—
nor
;
ca
—
also
;
ārdreṇa
—
by a moist weapon
;
jahāra
—
he separated
;
namuceḥ
—
of Namuci
;
śiraḥ
—
the head
;
tam
—
him (Indra)
;
tuṣṭuvuḥ
—
satisfied
;
muni
—
gaṇāḥ — all the sages
;
mālyaiḥ
—
with flower garlands
;
ca
—
also
;
avākiran
—
covered
;
vibhum
—
that great personality .
Translation
Thus Indra, King of heaven, severed Namuci’s head with a weapon of foam, which was neither dry nor moist. Then all the sages satisfied Indra, the exalted personality, by showering flowers and garlands upon him, almost covering him.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Thus Indra, King of heaven, severed Namuci's head with a weapon of foam, which was neither dry nor moist. Then all the sages satisfied Indra, the exalted personality, by covering him with garlands.
This explains the word ubhayātmakam of the previous verse. Śruti also says apām phenena namuceḥ śira indro ‘dārayat: Indra cut off the head of Namuci using foam from water.
Purport
In this regard, the
śruti-mantras
say,
apāṁ phenena namuceḥ śira indro ’dārayat:
Indra killed Namuci with watery foam, which is neither moist nor dry.