Shloka 17
Bhīmasena’s Capture by the Serpent and Nahūṣa’s Self-Disclosure (भीमसेन-भुजङ्गग्रहणं नहुषोपाख्यानप्रस्तावः)
जगुश्न गाथा विविधा गन्धर्वा: सुरचोदिता: ननृतुः सड्घशश्चैव राजन्नप्सरसां गणा:,राजन! देवप्रेरित गन्धर्व नाना प्रकारकी गाथाएँ गाने लगे और झुंड-की-झुंड अप्सराएँ नृत्य करने लगीं
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
jaguś ca gāthā vividhā gandharvāḥ suracoditāḥ |
nanṛtuḥ saṅghaśaś caiva rājan apsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Urged on by the gods, the Gandharvas began to sing many kinds of songs; and, O king, the companies of Apsarases, gathered in groups, began to dance. Thus did celestial beings, under divine prompting, transform the air with art—song and dance—heralding auspiciousness and the presence of higher powers.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that refined arts like song and dance, especially when aligned with divine or higher purpose, can mark auspiciousness and elevate the moral-emotional tone of an event; it also reflects the epic motif that unseen divine agencies may guide visible happenings.
Celestial musicians (Gandharvas), prompted by the gods, sing varied songs while groups of celestial nymphs (Apsarases) dance, creating a divine spectacle addressed to the king within Vaiśampāyana’s narration.