Shloka 18
Brahmaṇānāṃ Yācanā—Tīrtha-yātrā-prastāvaḥ
The Brahmanas’ Petition and the Proposal of Pilgrimage
आगमिष्यति ते भ्राता कृतास्त्र: क्षिप्रमर्जुन: । सुरकार्य महत् कृत्वा यदशकक््यं दिवौकसाम्,“उन्होंने मुझसे कहा--द्विजोत्तम! इसमें संदेह नहीं कि आप घूमते-घामते मनुष्यलोकमें भी जायूँगे; अतः मेरे अनुरोधसे आप राजा युधिष्ठिरके पास जाकर यह बात कह दीजियेगा --'राजन! तुम्हारे भाई अर्जुन अस्त्र-विद्यामें निपुण हो चुके हैं। अब वे देवताओंका एक बहुत बड़ा कार्य, जिसे देवता स्वयं नहीं कर सकते, सिद्ध करके शीघ्र तुम्हारे पास आ जायँगे; तबतक तुम भी अपने भाइयोंके साथ स्वयंको तपस्यामें लगाओ; क्योंकि तपस्यासे बढ़कर दूसरा कोई साधन नहीं है। तपस्यासे महान् फलकी प्राप्ति होती है
āgamiṣyati te bhrātā kṛtāstraḥ kṣipram arjunaḥ | surakāryaṃ mahat kṛtvā yad aśakyaṃ divaukasām ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Your brother Arjuna will return to you soon, having mastered the celestial weapons. After accomplishing a great task for the gods—one that even the dwellers of heaven cannot themselves achieve—he will quickly come back.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power and skill (astra-vidyā) are validated by purpose: Arjuna’s mastery is framed as service to a higher, dharmic end—accomplishing a necessary divine task—rather than personal glory. The surrounding context (as reflected in the Gītā Press prose) also elevates tapas (austerity) as the sustaining discipline while awaiting outcomes.
The narrator reports a message meant to reassure the Pāṇḍavas: Arjuna has become ‘kṛtāstra’ (fully equipped with weapon-knowledge) and, after completing a major mission for the gods that they cannot accomplish themselves, he will return soon.