Shloka 17

अर्जुनस्य निवातकवचवधाय नियोगः

Arjuna’s commissioning for the Nivātakavacas

Devanagari script

उषित्वा पञज्च वर्षाणि सहस्राक्षनिवेशने । अवाप्य दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि सर्वाणि विबुधेश्वरात्‌

Transliteration

uṣitvā pañca varṣāṇi sahasrākṣa-niveśane | avāpya divyāny astrāṇi sarvāṇi vibudheśvarāt ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Nachdem er fünf Jahre in der Wohnstatt des Sahasrākṣa (Indra) verweilt und vom Herrn der Götter alle himmlischen Waffen erlangt hatte, (war er mit göttlicher Macht versehen).

Word by Word

उषित्वाhaving dwelt/stayed

पञ्चfive

वर्षाणिyears

सहस्राक्ष-निवेशनेin the abode/dwelling of the thousand-eyed (Indra)

अवाप्यhaving obtained

दिव्यानिdivine

अस्त्राणिweapons (missiles)

सर्वाणिall

विबुध-ईश्वरात्from the lord of the gods (Indra)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Indra (Sahasrākṣa, Vibudheśvara)

Sahasrākṣa-niveśana (Indra’s abode)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power—especially martial power—is portrayed as legitimate when acquired through discipline, rightful guidance, and divine sanction. The verse links the gaining of astras to sustained residence and training in Indra’s realm, implying restraint and merit rather than impulsive force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that the hero stayed for five years in Indra’s abode and, from Indra (lord of the gods), obtained all the celestial weapons—marking the completion of divine training and the securing of supernatural armaments for future conflicts.