Shloka 18

Devanagari script

विमानैरविविधैश्षित्रैरुपानीतै: सुरोत्तमै: । वज्भच्छुशुभे तत्र विमानस्थै: सुरैर्वृत:,श्रेष्ठ देवताओंद्वारा लाये हुए भाँति-भाँतिके विचित्र विमान अनेकानेक रत्नोंसे उद्भासित थे। उनमेंसे कुछ स्थिर हो गये थे और कुछ (नीचे-ऊपर) उड़ रहे थे। उनके द्वारा उदभासित होनेवाले आकाशकी विचित्र शोभा हो रही थी। वहाँ विमानस्थ देवताओंसे घिरे हुए वज्रधारी महातेजस्वी इन्द्र पद्म और उत्पलोंकी माला पहने सुशोभित हो रहे थे। वे अनेक वीरोंके साथ छिड़े हुए अर्जुनके उस महान्‌ संग्रामको बार-बार देखते थे, तो भी तृप्त नहीं होते थे

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | vimānair vividhaś citrair upānītaiḥ surottamaiḥ | vajrabhṛc chubhe tatra vimānasthaiḥ surair vṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Brought by the foremost of the gods, many wondrous aerial chariots—variegated and radiant—appeared there. In that splendid scene, Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt, stood surrounded by deities stationed in their vimānas, his presence heightening the celestial grandeur as they looked on with admiration at the heroic contest unfolding below.

Word by Word

विमानैःby aerial cars/chariots

विविधैःvarious, manifold

चित्रैःwonderful, variegated

उपानीतैःbrought near, brought

सुरोत्तमैःby the best of the gods

वज्रभृत्the vajra-bearer (Indra)

शुभेin the auspicious (place/sky)

तत्रthere

विमानस्थैःby those stationed in aerial cars

सुरैःby gods

वृतःsurrounded

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Indra

Devas (gods)

Vajra (thunderbolt)

Vimānas (celestial chariots)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage underscores that righteous valor and extraordinary skill in a just cause draw even divine attention; heroic action aligned with kṣatriya-dharma becomes worthy of witness and praise, reminding readers that deeds have moral and cosmic resonance.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the great combat (centered on Arjuna’s prowess in this episode) unfolds, the foremost gods arrive in brilliant vimānas. Indra, surrounded by deities, watches the battle with sustained admiration, emphasizing the magnitude of the event.