Shloka 56
Duryodhana-śibira-praveśaḥ — The Pāṇḍavas Enter the Kaurava Camp; The Burning of Arjuna’s Chariot
जगुश्नाप्सरसो राज्ञो यश:सम्बद्धमेव च | गन्धर्वगण अत्यन्त मनोहर बाजे बजाने लगे और अप्सराएँ राजा दुर्योधनके सुयशसम्बधी गीत गाने लगीं ।। सिद्धाश्न मुमुचुर्वाच: साधु साध्विति पार्थिव,राजन! उस समय सिद्धगण बोल उठे--“बहुत अच्छा, बहुत अच्छा'। फिर पवित्र गन्धवाली मनोहर, मृदुल एवं सुखदायक हवा चलने लगी। सारी दिशाओंमें प्रकाश छा गया और आकाश नीलमके समान चमक उठा
sañjaya uvāca |
jaguḥ apsaraso rājño yaśaḥ-sambaddham eva ca |
gandharva-gaṇā atyanta-mano-harā vādyāni vādyaṃ vādyaṃ babhūvuḥ |
siddhāś ca mumucuḥ vācaḥ—“sādhu sādhu” iti pārthiva |
tataḥ pavitra-gandhavāhā manoharā mṛdulā sukha-dāyinī vāyuḥ pravavau |
sarvāsu dikṣu prakāśaḥ samajāyata, ākāśaś ca nīlamaṇi-sadṛśaṃ babhāsa ||
Sañjaya said: The apsarases began to sing songs bound to the king’s renown, and the hosts of gandharvas struck up music of surpassing sweetness. At that moment the siddhas cried, “Excellent! Excellent, O king!” Then a gentle, pleasing breeze—fragrant, purifying—began to blow. Light spread through all the quarters, and the sky shone like a sapphire.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how epic literature can portray a warrior’s end with celestial signs of honor and renown, even when the broader moral arc condemns his choices. It invites reflection on the difference between worldly fame (yaśas), heroic reputation, and the deeper ethical evaluation of one’s actions (dharma/adharma) within the Mahabharata’s narrative.
Sanjaya describes a moment of supernatural celebration: apsarases sing of the king’s fame, gandharvas play enchanting music, and siddhas acclaim him. A fragrant, gentle wind blows, light fills the directions, and the sky gleams like sapphire—signs that mark the scene with a heightened, otherworldly atmosphere.