Shloka 533
निवातकवचवधः — Arjuna’s Neutralization of the Nivātakavacas
Vajra-astra deployment
अस्त्रैश्नाप्पन्वजानन्त संग्रामे विजयेन च । वहाँकी भूमि सब प्रकारके रत्नोंसे विचित्र शोभा धारण करती है और (सब ओर बिखरे हुए) पुष्प उस भूमिके लिये आभूषणका काम देते हैं। स्वर्गलोकमें बहुत-से मनोहर पशु और पक्षी देखे जाते हैं, जिनकी बोली बड़ी मधुर प्रतीत होती है। वहाँ अनेक देवता आकाशमें विमानोंपर विचरते दिखायी देते हैं। तदनन्तर मुझे वसु, रुद्र, साथ्य, मरुद्गण, आदित्य और अश्विनीकुमारोंके दर्शन हुए। मैंने उन सबके आगे मस्तक झुकाकर उनका सम्मान किया। उन सबने मुझे पराक्रमी, यशस्वी, तेजस्वी, बलवान, अस्त्रवेत्ता और संग्राम-विजयी होनेका आशीर्वाद दिया
arjuna uvāca | astraiḥ śnāpya (snāpya) panvajānant saṅgrāme vijayena ca | tatra bhūmiḥ sarva-prakāra-ratnaiḥ vicitrā śobhāṃ dhārayati, sarvato vikirṇāni puṣpāṇi ca tasyā bhūmeḥ ābharaṇa-bhūtāni bhavanti | svargaloke bahavaḥ manoharāḥ paśavaḥ pakṣiṇaś ca dṛśyante, yeṣāṃ vāṇī madhurā pratibhāti | tatra aneke devāḥ ākāśe vimānaiḥ vicarantaḥ dṛśyante | tadanantaram ahaṃ vasūn rudrān sādhyān marudgaṇān ādityān aśvinīkumārau ca dadarśa | teṣāṃ sarveṣāṃ purataḥ śirasā praṇamya ahaṃ tān samamanyam | te sarve māṃ parākramiṇaṃ yaśasvinaṃ tejasvinaṃ balavantaṃ astravettaṃ saṅgrāma-vijayinaṃ ca bhaveti āśīrbhiḥ anugṛhṇan |
Arjuna said: “There the very ground shines, variegated with every kind of jewel, while flowers scattered on all sides serve as its ornaments. In that heavenly realm many delightful beasts and birds are seen, and their calls sound exceedingly sweet. Many gods are also seen moving through the sky in celestial chariots. Thereafter I beheld the Vasus, the Rudras, the Sādhyas, the hosts of Maruts, the Ādityas, and the twin Aśvins. Bowing my head before them all, I paid them due honor. And they, in turn, blessed me to become heroic, renowned, radiant, strong, a knower of weapons, and victorious in battle.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights dharmic humility and devotion: even a great warrior like Arjuna bows to divine assemblies, recognizing that power and victory should be grounded in reverence, self-discipline, and blessings aligned with righteous purpose.
Arjuna describes a vision/experience of the heavenly realm—its jeweled ground, flower-like adornments, sweet-voiced birds, and gods traveling in vimānas—and recounts meeting major divine groups (Vasus, Rudras, Sādhyas, Maruts, Ādityas, Aśvins), honoring them, and receiving their blessings for valor, fame, strength, weapon-knowledge, and victory in battle.