Shloka 11
Svargārohaṇa-parva, Adhyāya 4 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Vision of the Celestial Assembly
Recognition and Explanation
अखिल सहसा राजा प्रष्टमैच्छद् युधिष्ठिर: । ततो<स्य भगवानिन्द्र: कथयामास देवराट्,राजा युधिष्ठिरने इन सबके विषयमें सहसा प्रश्न करनेका विचार किया। तब देवराज भगवान् इन्द्र स्वयं ही उन्हें सबका परिचय देने लगे--
akhilaṃ sahasā rājā praṣṭum aicchad yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | tato 'sya bhagavān indraḥ kathayāmāsa devarāṭ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira, the king, suddenly wished to ask about everything in full. Then the blessed Indra, the sovereign of the gods, began to explain it all to him—introducing and clarifying each matter before the questions were even put, as a compassionate guide to one seeking moral understanding.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic posture of inquiry: when faced with morally complex outcomes, Yudhiṣṭhira seeks clarification rather than assumption, and Indra responds proactively—suggesting that divine or wise guidance meets sincere ethical questioning.
In the Svargārohaṇa episode, Yudhiṣṭhira is about to ask comprehensive questions about what he is witnessing/learning; Indra, king of the gods, begins explaining the situation to him, effectively introducing and interpreting events and persons.