Shloka 7
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रीतुं विस्तरेण महाद्युते । यथा तुष्टो महादेवो देवराजस्तथानघ,“महातेजस्वी वीर! मैं ये सब बातें विस्तारपूर्वक सुनना चाहता हूँ। शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले निष्पाप अर्जुन! जिस प्रकार तुम्हारे ऊपर महादेवजी तथा देवराज इन्द्र संतुष्ट हुए और वज्रधारी इन्द्रका जो प्रिय कार्य तुमने सम्पन्न किया है, वह सब पूर्णरूपसे बताओ
etad icchāmy ahaṃ śrotuṃ vistareṇa mahādyute | yathā tuṣṭo mahādevo devarājas tathānagha ||
قال فَيْشَمْبَايَنَة: «يا ذا البأس العظيم، إني أودّ أن أسمع هذا كله مفصّلًا: كيف رضي عنك مهاديفا، وكذلك ملك الآلهة، يا طاهرًا قاهرَ الأعداء.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that divine favor is sought to be understood through the hero’s conduct: the narrative frames Arjuna as “blameless” and “subduer of foes,” implying that disciplined virtue and right action can lead to the gods’ satisfaction, which in epic ethics legitimizes extraordinary power and success.
Vaiśaṃpāyana signals a transition into a fuller account: he (or the listener within the frame) requests a detailed narration of how Śiva (Mahādeva) and Indra (Devarāja) became pleased with the hero (contextually Arjuna), setting up the ensuing description of divine encounters and the reasons for their approval.