Shloka 17

धनंजयस्य आश्वासनम्

Dhanaṃjaya’s Reassurance and the Opening Engagement

Devanagari script

प्रभासितमिवाकाशं चित्ररूपमलंकृतम्‌ । सम्पतद्धिः स्थितैश्ञापि नानारत्नविभासितै:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | prabhāsitam ivākāśaṃ citrarūpam alaṅkṛtam | sampatadbhiḥ sthitaiś cāpi nānāratnavibhāsitaiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Der Himmel schien wie erleuchtet, geschmückt mit wunderbaren, vielfarbigen Gestalten, hervorgerufen durch zahlreiche himmlische Wagen, von denen einige reglos schwebten, andere sich bewegten, alle glänzend von mannigfaltigen Juwelen. In diesem strahlenden Schauspiel stand Indra, der Vajra-Träger, von Göttern in ihren Vimānas umringt und mit Girlanden aus Lotos und blauem Lotos geziert; immer wieder schaute er auf Arjunas große Schlacht gegen viele Helden, und doch wurde er nicht satt — so zwingend war der Anblick der Tapferkeit im Dienst der Gerechtigkeit.

Word by Word

• प्रभासितम्: illumined, shining
• प्रभासितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-भास् (कृदन्त: भासित)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आकाशम्: sky
• आकाशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चित्ररूपम्: of wondrous/variegated form
• चित्ररूपम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र-रूप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अलंकृतम्: adorned, decorated
• अलंकृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलम्-कृ (कृदन्त: अलंकृत)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• सम्पतद्भिः: by/with those flying (moving)
• सम्पतद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-पत् (कृदन्त: सम्पतत्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• स्थितैः: by/with those standing (stationary)
• स्थितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (कृदन्त: स्थित)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• नानारत्नविभासितैः: illumined by various gems
• नानारत्नविभासितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना-रत्न-विभासित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• ākāśa (sky)
• vimāna (celestial aerial cars)
• ratna (jewels)
• Indra (vajradhara)
• deva (gods)
• Arjuna
• padma (lotus)
• utpala (blue lotus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Righteous valor (dharma-yuddha spirit) is portrayed as worthy of divine attention: when courage and duty align, even the gods are depicted as drawn to witness it, underscoring that ethical action has cosmic significance.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes the sky filled with jewel-bright celestial vimānas—some stationary, some moving—creating a radiant spectacle, while Indra and other gods look on, repeatedly watching Arjuna’s great combat and remaining unsated by the sight.