Shloka 32
निवातकवचवधः — Arjuna’s Neutralization of the Nivātakavacas
Vajra-astra deployment
भारत! तुम मेरे भवनमें चलकर सम्पूर्ण अस्त्रोंकी शिक्षा प्राप्त करो। कुरुश्रेष्ठ! वायु, अग्नि, वसु, वरुण, मरुद्गण, साध्यगण, ब्रह्मा, गन्धर्वगण, नाग, राक्षस, विष्णु तथा निर्क्रतिके और स्वयं मेरे भी सम्पूर्ण अस्त्रोंका ज्ञान प्राप्त करो, मुझसे ऐसा कहकर इन्द्र वहीं अन्तर्धान हो गये ।। अथापश्य॑ हरियुजं रथमैन्द्रमुपस्थितम् । दिव्यं मायामयं पुण्यं यत्तं मातलिना नूप,तदनन्तर थोड़ी ही देरमें मुझे हरे रंगके घोड़ोंसे जुता हुआ देवराज इन्द्रका रथ वहाँ उपस्थित दिखायी दिया। राजन! वह दिव्य मायामय पवित्र रथ मातलिके द्वारा नियन्त्रित था
arjuna uvāca | bhārata! tvaṃ mama bhavanaṃ gatvā samastāstrāṇāṃ śikṣāṃ prāpnuhi | kuruśreṣṭha! vāyu-agni-vasu-varuṇa-marudgaṇa-sādhyagaṇa-brahmā-gandharvagaṇa-nāga-rākṣasa-viṣṇu-tathā nirṛteś ca mama caiva samastāstrāṇāṃ jñānaṃ prāpnuhi | iti mām uktvā indraḥ tatraivāntardadhāna || athāpaśyaṃ hariyujam ratham aindram upasthitam | divyaṃ māyāmayaṃ puṇyaṃ yattaṃ mātalinā nṛpa ||
Arjuna said: “O descendant of Bharata, come to my celestial abode and receive complete instruction in the science of weapons. O best of the Kurus, gain the knowledge of all missiles and arms belonging to Vāyu, Agni, the Vasus, Varuṇa, the Maruts, the Sādhyas, Brahmā, the Gandharvas, the Nāgas, the Rākṣasas, Viṣṇu, Nirṛti—and also my own.” Having spoken thus to me, Indra vanished on the spot. Soon after, I beheld Indra’s chariot appear before me, yoked with tawny-green horses—divine, wondrous through celestial art, and auspicious—driven and guided by Mātali. The episode frames power as a disciplined trust: mastery of weapons is granted not for pride, but for the protection of dharma under rightful restraint and training.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage presents martial power as a dharmic responsibility: divine weapons are not mere instruments of victory but sacred skills requiring disciplined instruction, rightful authorization, and ethical restraint. Indra’s grant implies that capability must be matched by character and purpose—protection of dharma rather than personal ambition.
Indra instructs Arjuna to come to his celestial abode to learn the complete science of divine missiles associated with many gods and classes of beings. After giving this command, Indra disappears. Shortly thereafter, Arjuna sees Indra’s divine, wondrous chariot arrive, yoked with tawny-green horses and driven by Mātali, signaling Arjuna’s imminent journey to the heavens for training.