Mahabharata 3.42.9 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 42, Shloka 9
Lokapāla-samāgamaḥ—Arjuna Receives Astras from the World-Guardians
Book 3, Chapter 42
तस्मिन् रथे स्थितं सूतं तप्तहेमविभूषितम् । दृष्टवा पार्थों महाबाहुर्देवमेवान्वतर्कयत्
tasmin rathe sthitaṁ sūtaṁ tapta-hemavibhūṣitam | dṛṣṭvā pārtho mahābāhur devam evānv atarkayat ||
Seeing the charioteer seated upon that chariot, adorned with ornaments of burnished gold, the mighty-armed Pārtha (Arjuna) judged him to be none other than a god. The scene underscores how divine radiance and noble bearing can inspire reverence, while also hinting at the epic’s recurring theme that the divine may appear in human roles to guide events toward dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary splendor and conduct can evoke recognition of the divine, suggesting that dharma is often advanced through seemingly human agents whose presence and qualities reveal a higher order.
Arjuna notices a charioteer seated on a chariot, richly adorned with burnished-gold ornaments; struck by the figure’s radiance, he reasons that the charioteer must be a divine being.
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