Shloka 3

ययाति–अष्टक–प्रतर्दन संवादः | Yayāti’s Dialogue with Aṣṭaka and Pratardana on Merit, Gifts, and Ethical Restraint

Devanagari script

स गत: स्वर्निवासं तं॑ निवसन्‌ मुदितः सुखी । कालेन चातिमहता पुन: शक्रेण पातितः,स्वर्गलोकमें जाकर वे बड़ी प्रसन्नताके साथ सुखपूर्वक रहने लगे और बहुत कालके बाद इन्द्रद्वारा वे पुनः स्वर्गसे नीचे गिरा दिये गये। स्वर्गसे भ्रष्ट हो पृथ्वीपर गिरते समय वे भूतलतक नहीं पहुँचे, आकाशमें ही स्थिर हो गये, ऐसा मैंने सुना है

Transliteration

sa gataḥ svar-nivāsaṁ taṁ nivasan muditaḥ sukhī | kālena cātimahatā punaḥ śakreṇa pātitaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: In jener himmlischen Wohnstatt angekommen, lebte er dort froh und in Wohlbehagen. Doch nach sehr langer Zeit wurde er von Śakra (Indra) abermals hinabgestoßen.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'saḥ', 'definition': 'he (the person previously mentioned)'}, {'term': 'gataḥ', 'definition': 'gone, having gone'}, {'term': 'svar-nivāsam', 'definition': 'the abode of heaven

• residence in Svarga'}, {'term': 'tam', 'definition': 'that (place/abode)'}, {'term': 'nivasan', 'definition': 'dwelling, residing'}, {'term': 'muditaḥ', 'definition': 'delighted, glad'}, {'term': 'sukhī', 'definition': 'happy

• enjoying ease/comfort'}, {'term': 'kālena', 'definition': 'in/after time

• with the passage of time'}, {'term': 'ca', 'definition': 'and'}, {'term': 'ati-mahatā', 'definition': 'very great, exceedingly long (time)'}, {'term': 'punaḥ', 'definition': 'again'}, {'term': 'śakreṇa', 'definition': 'by Śakra (Indra)'}, {'term': 'pātitaḥ', 'definition': 'caused to fall

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śakra (Indra)
• Svarga (heavenly world)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Heavenly enjoyment is conditional and temporary; when the accumulated merit that supports it is exhausted, one must fall from Svarga. The verse underscores the ethical logic of karma and the impermanence of reward-based states.

What is happening in the narrative?

A previously mentioned figure reaches Svarga and lives there happily for a long time, but later Indra causes him to fall again—signaling the end of his heaven-sustaining merit and a return toward lower realms.