Shloka 53
कामान् वृणीष्य लोकांस्त्व॑ प्राप्तोडसि परमां गतिम् । एवमुक्त: प्रत्युवाच सहस्राक्षं धनंजय:,तब महेन्द्रने प्रसन्नचित्त हो हँसते हुए-से कहा--“धनंजय! जब तुम यहाँतक आ पहुँचे, तब तुम्हें अस्त्रोंको लेकर क्या करना है? अब इच्छानुसार उत्तम लोक माँग लो; क्योंकि तुम्हें उत्तम गति प्राप्त हुई है।। यह सुनकर धनंजयने पुनः देवराजसे कहा--देवेश्वर! मैं अपने भाइयोंको वनमें छोड़कर (शत्रुओंसे) वैरका बदला लिये बिना लोभ अथवा कामनाके वशीभूत हो न तो देवत्व चाहता हूँ, न सुख और न सम्पूर्ण देवताओंका एऐश्वर्य प्राप्त कर लेनेकी ही मेरी इच्छा है। यदि मैंने वैसा किया तो सदाके लिये सम्पूर्ण लोकोंमें मुझे महान् अपयश प्राप्त होगा”
vaiśampāyana uvāca | kāmān vṛṇīṣva lokāṁs tvam prāpto 'si paramāṁ gatim | evam uktaḥ pratyuvāca sahasrākṣaṁ dhanaṁjayaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Choose whatever desires you wish, and the worlds you would have—for you have attained the highest course.” Thus addressed, Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna) replied to the Thousand-eyed lord (Indra): “Lord of the gods, having left my brothers in the forest, I do not seek godhood, pleasure, or even the sovereignty of all the gods, if it means yielding to greed or desire without first avenging the enmity of our foes. Were I to act so, I would incur great and lasting disgrace in all worlds.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
True attainment is not merely access to heavenly rewards; a kṣatriya’s dharma prioritizes integrity, self-mastery, and the fulfillment of rightful duty. Arjuna rejects pleasure and even divine sovereignty if it would mean abandoning justice and earning lasting disgrace.
Indra invites Arjuna to choose any desired worlds, implying he has reached a supreme state. Arjuna responds that he will not accept such rewards while his brothers remain in hardship and the wrong done by enemies remains unredressed; he fears moral failure and enduring ill-fame.