TEXT 1
sri-rsir uvaca
evam jihasur nrpa deham ajau
mrtyum varam vijayan manyamanah
sulam pragrhyabhyapatat surendram
yatha maha-purusam kaitabho psu
SYNONYMS
sri-rsih uvacaSri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evamthus; jihasuhvery eager to give up; nrpaO King Pariksit; dehamthe body; ajauin battle; mrtyumdeath; varambetter; vijayatthan victory; manyamanahthinking; sulamtrident; pragrhyataking up; abhyapatatattacked; sura-indramthe King of heaven, Indra; yathajust as; maha-purusamthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; kaitabhahthe demon Kaitabha; apsuwhen the whole universe was inundated.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: Desiring to give up his body, Vrtrasura considered death in the battle preferable to victory. O King Pariksit, he vigorously took up his trident and with great force attacked Lord Indra, the King of heaven, just as Kaitabha had forcefully attacked the Supreme Personality of Godhead when the universe was inundated.
PURPORT
Although Vrtrasura repeatedly encouraged Indra to kill him with the thunderbolt, King Indra was morose at having to kill such a great devotee and was hesitant to throw it. Vrtrasura, disappointed that King Indra was reluctant despite his encouragement, took the initiative very forcefully by throwing his trident at Indra. Vrtrasura was not at all interested in victory; he was interested in being killed so that he could immediately return home, back to Godhead. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.9), tyaktva deham punar janma naiti: after giving up his body, a devotee immediately returns to Lord Krsna and never returns to accept another body. This was Vrtrasuras interest.

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