Shloka 29
अर्जुनस्य इन्द्रकीलगमनम् तथा शक्रसाक्षात्कारः
Arjuna’s journey to Indrakīla and encounter with Indra
त॑ प्रणम्य महादेव शशंसु: पार्थकर्म तत् । एष पार्थो महातेजा हिमवत्पृष्ठमास्थित:,उन्होंने महादेवजीको प्रणाम करके अर्जुनका वह तपरूप कर्म कह सुनाया। वे बोले --“भगवन्! ये महातेजस्वी कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुन हिमालयके पृष्ठभागमें स्थित हो अपार एवं उग्र तपस्यामें संलग्न हैं और सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंको धूमाच्छादित कर रहे हैं। देवेश्वर! वे क्या करना चाहते हैं, इस विषयमें हमलोगोंमेंसे कोई कुछ नहीं जानता है
taṁ praṇamya mahādeva śaśaṁsuḥ pārthakarma tat | eṣa pārtho mahātejā himavat-pṛṣṭham āsthitaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Having bowed to Mahādeva, they reported that act of austerity undertaken by Pārtha. “O Lord! This Pārtha, the mighty son of Kuntī, has taken his stand upon the slopes of Himavat and is engaged in a vast and fierce penance, veiling the quarters with smoke. O Lord of the gods, what he intends to accomplish—none among us truly knows.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical posture of humility before the divine and the seriousness of disciplined austerity: great power is sought not through arrogance but through reverence, restraint, and focused effort, while one’s deeper intention may remain hidden even from observers.
Messengers (as implied by the plural verb) bow to Śiva (Mahādeva) and inform him that Arjuna (Pārtha), the son of Kuntī, is performing intense penance on the Himalayan slopes, producing smoke that seems to cover the directions; they admit they do not know what goal he seeks.