Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.10.42
स तानापतत: शक्रस्तावद्भि: शीघ्रविक्रम: ।
चिच्छेद निशितैर्भल्लैरसम्प्राप्तान्हसन्निव ॥ ४२ ॥
sa tān āpatataḥ śakras
[sa taan aapatatah shakras]
tāvadbhiḥ śīghra-vikramaḥ
[taavadbhih sheeghra-vikramah]
ciccheda niśitair bhallair
[chichcheda nishitair bhallair]
asamprāptān hasann iva
[asampraaptaan hasann iva]
Word-for-word
saḥ
—
he (Indra)
tān
—
arrows
āpatataḥ
—
while moving toward him and falling down
śakraḥ
—
Indra
tāvadbhiḥ
—
immediately
śīghra-vikramaḥ
—
was practiced to oppress very soon
ciccheda
—
cut to pieces
niśitaiḥ
—
very sharp
bhallaiḥ
—
with another type of arrow
asamprāptān
—
the enemy’s arrows not being received
hasan iva
—
as if smiling.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa tān āpatataḥ śakras
saḥ
he (Indra)
tān
arrows
āpatataḥ
while moving toward him and falling down
śakraḥ
Indra
tāvadbhiḥ śīghra-vikramaḥ
tāvadbhiḥ
immediately
śīghra-vikramaḥ
was practiced to oppress very soon
ciccheda niśitair bhallair
ciccheda
cut to pieces
niśitaiḥ
very sharp
bhallaiḥ
with another type of arrow
asamprāptān hasann iva
asamprāptān
the enemy’s arrows not being received
hasan iva
as if smiling.
Before Bali Mahārāja’s arrows could reach him, Indra, King of heaven, who is expert in dealing with arrows, smiled and counteracted the arrows with arrows of another type, known as bhalla, which were extremely sharp.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Before Bali Mahārāja's arrows could reach him, Indra, who is expert in dealing with quick arrows, smiled and cut the approaching arrows with his own sharp arrows, so that they did not reach their targets.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Before the arrows reached him, Indra smiled and countered with bhalla arrows. Mastery responds before the danger arrives. The expert is not surprised; he is prepared in advance and even smiles. Skill plus equanimity equals invincibility.
Reflection Questions
- Where could I learn to smile-and-counter rather than panic-and-react?
- What advance preparation would let me respond before — not after — incoming arrows?
My note
Source: vedabase.io