Shloka 16
अर्जुनस्य निवातकवचवधाय नियोगः
Arjuna’s commissioning for the Nivātakavacas
तथैव तं चिन्तयतां सिताश्च- मस्त्रार्थिनं वासवमभ्युपेतम् । मासो<5थ कृच्छेण तदा व्यतीत- स्तस्मिन् नगे भारत भारतानाम्,जनमेजय! अस्त्रविद्याकी अभिलाषासे देवराज इन्द्रके समीप गये हुए श्वेतवाहन अर्जुनका चिन्तन करनेवाले पाण्डवोंका एक मास उस पर्वतपर बड़ी कठिनाईसे व्यतीत हुआ
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tathaiva taṃ cintayatāṃ sitāś ca astrārthinaṃ vāsavam abhyupetam | māso 'tha kṛcchreṇa tadā vyatītaḥ tasmin nage bhārata bhāratānām janamejaya ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Während die Pāṇḍavas unablässig an ihn dachten — an den hellhäutigen Arjuna, der sich Vāsava (Indra) genähert hatte, um göttliche Waffen zu erlangen — verging dort auf jenem Berg ein voller Monat; und er verging unter großer Mühsal, o Bhārata Janamejaya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined endurance and patient waiting in pursuit of a dharmic goal: while Arjuna seeks higher means (divine weapons) from Indra, the others accept hardship without wavering, showing that righteous aims often require sustained effort and restraint.
Arjuna, described as fair-complexioned, has gone to Indra (Vāsava) to obtain celestial weapons. Meanwhile, the Pāṇḍavas remain on a mountain, thinking of him; a month passes there, and it is marked by considerable hardship.