Shloka 10
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
गन्धर्वर्भुजगेन्द्रैश्व सिद्धै श्वान्यैर्वुत: प्रभु: । चतुर्दन्तं सुदान्तं च वारणेन्द्रं श्रिया वृतम् । आरुह्ौरावतं शक्रस्त्रैलोक्यमनुसंययौ,उन्हीं दिनोंकी बात है, देवराज इन्द्र अपने ऐरावत नामक गजराजपर, जो चार सुन्दर दाँतोंसे सुशोभित और दिव्य शोभासे सम्पन्न था, आरूढ़ हो तीनों लोकोंमें भ्रमण करनेके लिये निकले। उस समय त्रिलोकीनाथ इन्द्र रुद्र, वसु, आदित्य, अश्विनीकुमार, ऋषिगण, गन्धर्व, नाग, सिद्ध तथा विद्याधरों आदिसे घिरे हुए थे
gandharva-bhujagendraiś ca siddhaiḥ śvānyair vṛtaḥ prabhuḥ | caturdantaṃ sudāntaṃ ca vāraṇendraṃ śriyā vṛtam | āruhya airāvataṃ śakras trailokyam anusañcayau ||
Bhīṣma said: “Surrounded by Gandharvas, the lords of serpents, Siddhas, and other celestial beings, the mighty lord Śakra (Indra) mounted Airāvata—the king of elephants, adorned with four splendid tusks, well-trained and radiant with divine majesty—and set out to roam through the three worlds.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents Indra’s majesty and movement through the three worlds as a symbol of rightful sovereignty: power is shown as ordered, attended by worthy beings, and oriented toward sustaining cosmic and moral order (dharma), not mere display.
Bhīṣma describes Indra, surrounded by celestial attendants (Gandharvas, Nāga-lords, Siddhas, and others), mounting his elephant Airāvata—four-tusked, well-trained, and radiant—and setting out to traverse the three worlds.