Shloka 15
Gaṅgādvāra-tīrtha, Ulūpī-saṃvāda, and Arjuna’s Dharma-Deliberation (गङ्गाद्वार-तीर्थम्, उलूपी-संवादः)
(पाण्डवानागताउचुत्वा नागरास्तु कुतूहलात् | मण्डयाज्चक्रिरे तत्र नगरं नागसाह्दयम् ।। मुक्तपुष्पावकीर्ण तज्जलसिक्त तु सर्वश: । धूपितं दिव्यधूपेन मण्डनैश्वापि संवृतम् ।। पताकोच्छितमाल्यं च पुरमप्रतिमं बभौ ।। शड्खभेरीनिनादैश्व नानावादित्रनि:स्वनै: ।) कौतूहलेन नगरं दीप्यमानमिवा भवत् । तत्र ते पुरुषव्यात्रा: शोकदुःखविनाशना:,इन सबसे घिरे हुए शोभाशाली महाबली वीर पाण्डवोंने तब धीरे-धीरे हस्तिनापुर नगरमें प्रवेश किया। पाण्डवोंका आगमन सुनकर नागरिकोंने कौतूहलवश हस्तिनापुर नगरको (अच्छी तरहसे) सजा रखा था। सड़कोंपर सब ओर फूल बिखेरे गये थे, जलका छिड़काव किया गया था, सारा नगर दिव्य धूपकी सुगन्धसे महँ-महँ कर रहा था और भाँति-भाँतिकी प्रसाधन-सामग्रियोंसे सजाया गया था। पताकाएँ फहराती थीं और ऊँचे गृहोंमें पुष्पहार सुशोभित होते थे। शंख, भेरी तथा नाना प्रकारके वाद्योंकी ध्वनिसे वह अनुपम नगर बड़ी शोभा पा रहा था। उस समय कौतूहलवश सारा नगर देदीप्यमान-सा हो उठा। पुरुषसिंह पाण्डव प्रजाजनोंके शोक और दुःखका निवारण करनेवाले थे; अतः वहाँ उनका प्रिय करनेकी इच्छावाले पुरवासियोंद्वारा कही हुई भिन्न-भिन्न प्रकारकी हृदय- स्पर्शिनी बातें सुनायी पड़ीं--
pāṇḍavān āgatān uccutvā nāgarās tu kutūhalāt | maṇḍayāṃ cakrire tatra nagaraṃ nāgasāhṛdayam || muktapuṣpāvakīrṇaṃ taj jala-siktaṃ tu sarvaśaḥ | dhūpitaṃ divyadhūpena maṇḍanaiś cāpi saṃvṛtam || patākocchita-mālyaṃ ca puram apratimaṃ babhau || śaṅkha-bherī-ninādaiś ca nānā-vāditra-niḥsvanaiḥ | kautūhalena nagaraṃ dīpyamānam ivābhavat || tatra te puruṣavyāghrāḥ śoka-duḥkha-vināśanāḥ |
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Hearing that the Pāṇḍavas had arrived, the townspeople, stirred by eager curiosity, set about adorning the city with heartfelt welcome. Flowers were strewn everywhere, the streets were sprinkled with water, and the whole town was perfumed with celestial incense and decked with ornaments. Banners fluttered and garlands hung aloft, and the incomparable city resounded with conches, kettledrums, and many kinds of instruments. In that excitement the city seemed to blaze with splendor. Then those tiger-like men—the mighty Pāṇḍavas, destroyers of the people’s grief and sorrow—entered Hastināpura slowly, while the citizens, longing to please them, voiced many moving words of welcome.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights civic dharma and the social role of righteous leaders: a community expresses auspicious welcome and collective hope, while ideal rulers are portrayed as those who relieve the people’s sorrow (śoka-duḥkha-vināśanāḥ) through strength guided by virtue.
News of the Pāṇḍavas’ arrival spreads in Hastināpura. The citizens, excited and curious, decorate the city with flowers, water-sprinkling, incense, banners, garlands, and music. The Pāṇḍavas then enter the city slowly amid the people’s heartfelt words of welcome.