Shloka 3
Indra-vijaya Upākhyāna and Śalya’s Assurance to Yudhiṣṭhira (इन्द्रविजयोपाख्यानम् — शल्ययुधिष्ठिरसंवादः)
सर्वैर्देवे: परिवृत: शक्रो वृत्रनिष्दन: । गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्व यातस्त्रिभुवनं प्रभु:
sarvair devaiḥ parivṛtaḥ śakro vṛtraniṣūdanaḥ | gandharvair apsarobhiś ca yātas tribhuvanaṃ prabhuḥ ||
Śalya said: “Then Indra, the mighty lord who slew Vṛtra, surrounded by all the gods and accompanied by Gandharvas and Apsarases, proceeded in majesty to the heavenly world.” The scene underscores how divine authority is affirmed not merely by power, but by the ordered harmony of the cosmos—where victory over chaos (Vṛtra) is followed by rightful enthronement and public praise.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a dharmic image of sovereignty: after defeating a force of disorder (Vṛtra), Indra is shown moving within a rightful, harmonious cosmic community (gods, Gandharvas, Apsarases). Power is validated by restoration of order and by recognition within the moral-cosmic hierarchy.
Śalya describes Indra—celebrated as Vṛtra’s slayer—surrounded by the gods and accompanied by Gandharvas and Apsarases, proceeding in grandeur to the heavenly realm, emphasizing his exalted status and the collective acclaim of celestial beings.