Shloka 159

समन्तपञ्चक-आख्यानम् तथा अक्षौहिणी-प्रमाणनिर्णयः

Samantapañcaka Narrative and the Measure of an Akṣauhiṇī

Devanagari script

महेन्द्रलोकगमनमस्त्रार्थे च किरीटिन: । यत्र चिन्ता समुत्पन्ना धृतराष्ट्रस्य भूयसी,इसके बाद अर्जुन अस्त्रके लिये इन्द्रलोकमें गये यह सुनकर धृतराष्ट्रको बड़ी चिन्ता हुई

Transliteration

mahendralokagamanam astrārthe ca kirīṭinaḥ | yatra cintā samutpannā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya bhūyasī ||

Translation

Ensuite, Arjuna, le diadémé, se rendit au monde de Mahendra (Indra) afin d’obtenir des armes célestes. En l’apprenant, Dhṛtarāṣṭra fut saisi d’une inquiétude profonde et grandissante.

Word by Word

महेन्द्रलोकगमनम्the going to Mahendra’s world (Indra-loka)

अस्त्रार्थेfor the purpose of weapons (in the matter of weapons)

चand

किरीटिनःof the diadem-wearer (Arjuna)

यत्रwhere/whereupon

चिन्ताanxiety, worry

समुत्पन्नाarisen, sprung up

धृतराष्ट्रस्यof Dhṛtarāṣṭra

भूयसीgreater, very great

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna (Kirīṭin)

Indra (Mahendra)

Mahendra-loka (Indra’s heaven)

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how attachment to power and partiality breed fear: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s anxiety rises not from dharma but from political insecurity, as Arjuna’s acquisition of divine weapons signals a shift toward justice-backed strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

News reaches Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna has gone to Indra’s realm to obtain celestial weapons; hearing this, Dhṛtarāṣṭra becomes greatly worried, anticipating the Pāṇḍavas’ increasing might.