Shloka 6
Arjuna meets the Lokapālas, is tested by Indra, and is led to Amarāvatī for astra-śikṣā
Indraloka-gamana
'पाण्डुनन्दन! पर्वतों, वनान्त प्रदेशों और काननोंसे सुशोभित इस पूर्व दिशाकी रक्षा इन्द्र और कुबेर करते हैं ।। एतदाहुर्महेन्द्रस्य राज्ञो वैश्रवणस्य च । ऋषय: सर्वधर्मज्ञा: सझ तात मनीषिण:,“तात! सब धर्मोके ज्ञाता मनीषी महर्षि इस दिशाको देवराज इन्द्र तथा कुबेरका निवासस्थान कहते हैं। इधरसे ही उदित होनेवाले सूर्यदेवकी समस्त प्रजा, धर्मज्ञ ऋषि, सिद्ध महात्मा तथा साध्य देवता उपासना करते हैं
vaiśampāyana uvāca | pāṇḍunandana! parvatavanānta-pradeśaiḥ kānanaiś ca suśobhitāyāḥ asyāḥ pūrvadiśaḥ rakṣāṃ indraḥ kuberaś ca kurutaḥ || etad āhuḥ mahendrasya rājño vaiśravaṇasya ca | ṛṣayaḥ sarvadharmajñāḥ saha tāta manīṣiṇaḥ || tāta! sarvadharmajñā manīṣiṇaḥ maharṣayaḥ imāṃ diśaṃ devarāja-indrasya tathā kuberasya nivāsasthānam iti vadanti | asyāṃ diśi uditasya sūryadevasya samastāḥ prajāḥ dharmajñā ṛṣayaḥ siddhā mahātmānaḥ sādhya-devāś ca upāsanāṃ kurvanti ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O son of Pāṇḍu! This eastern quarter—adorned with mountains, forest-border regions, and deep woods—is guarded by Indra and Kubera. Thus declare the all-knowing sages, wise and discerning: ‘Child, this direction is spoken of as the dwelling-place of King Mahendra (Indra) and of Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera). From here the Sun rises, and all beings—along with dharma-knowing seers, perfected siddhas, great-souled ones, and the Sādhya deities—offer worship.’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a dharmic map of the cosmos: directions are not merely spatial but morally and ritually charged. The East, associated with sunrise, is portrayed as protected by divine kings (Indra and Kubera) and as a locus of worship, implying that righteous order (dharma) is upheld through guardianship, reverence, and alignment with cosmic rhythms.
Vaiśampāyana explains to the Pāṇḍava (addressed as ‘son of Pāṇḍu’) the sanctity of the eastern quarter. He reports the sages’ traditional statement that Indra and Kubera guard it and that beings and exalted classes of sages and gods worship the rising Sun from this direction.