Shloka 5
इन्द्रवैश्रवणावेतां दिशं पाण्डव रक्षत: | पर्वतैश्न वनान्तैश्न काननैश्वैव शोभिताम्
indravaiśravaṇāvetāṃ diśaṃ pāṇḍava rakṣataḥ | parvataiś ca vanāntaiś ca kānanaiś caiva śobhitām |
Vaiśampāyana said: The Pāṇḍava was keeping watch over the quarter presided over by Indra and Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera)—a direction made splendid by mountains, forest-border tracts, and deep woodland groves. The scene underscores vigilant guardianship aligned with divine order, where protection of one’s assigned sphere is treated as a duty rather than a mere tactical act.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as vigilant stewardship: guarding one’s assigned domain is portrayed as a principled duty harmonized with cosmic order (the quarters presided over by deities), not merely a practical necessity.
Vaiśampāyana describes a Pāṇḍava standing guard over a particular quarter associated with Indra and Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera), while also painting the setting as a beautiful landscape of mountains, forest edges, and groves.