tam - him; tādṛśa-ākṛtim - in such dress; vīkṣya - after seeing; mene - considered; dharmam - pious or religious; śarīriṇam - having a body; jaṭilam - having knotted hair; bhasmanā - by ashes; ācchannam - smeared all over the body; tasmai - unto him; bāṇam - arrow; na - not; muñcati - he did release.

King Indra was fraudulently dressed as a sannyāsī, having knotted his hair on his head and smeared ashes all over his body. Upon seeing such dress, the son of King Pṛthu considered Indra a religious man and pious sannyāsī. Therefore he did not release his arrows.