Shloka 8
Mātali’s Arrival and Arjuna’s Ascent toward Amarāvatī (मातलिसंयुक्तरथागमनम् तथा इन्द्रलोकगमनारम्भः)
तत्र देवविमानानि कामगानि सहस्रशः । संस्थितान्यभियातानि ददर्शायुतशस्तदा,वहाँ स्वेच्छानुसार गमन करनेवाले देवताओंके सहस्रों विमान स्थिरभावसे खड़े थे और हजारों इधर-उधर आते-जाते थे। उन सबको पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुनने देखा। उस समय गन्धर्व और अप्सराएँ उनकी स्तुति कर रही थीं। फ़ूलोंकी सुगन्धका भार वहन करनेवाली पवित्र मन्द-मन्द वायु मानो उनके लिये चँवर डुला रही थी
tatra devavimānāni kāmagāni sahasraśaḥ | saṁsthitāny abhiyātāni dadarśāyutaśas tadā ||
There, he beheld thousands upon thousands of divine aerial cars, moving at will—some standing poised in stillness, others coursing to and fro in countless streams. At that time Arjuna, son of Pāṇḍu, saw them all: Gandharvas and Apsarases were offering praises, and a pure, gentle breeze—laden with the weight of flower-fragrance—seemed to fan him like a ceremonial whisk.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores that true eminence is accompanied by reverence and auspicious signs: Arjuna’s disciplined purpose and accumulated merit are mirrored by a cosmos that honors him—through praise, purity, and ordered splendor—suggesting that power gains legitimacy when aligned with dharmic intent.
Vaiśaṁpāyana describes Arjuna witnessing vast numbers of celestial vimānas—some stationary, others moving freely—while Gandharvas and Apsarases sing praises and a fragrant gentle breeze seems to fan him, marking his entry into a divine, celebratory setting.