Shloka 34
Lokapāla-samāgamaḥ—Arjuna Receives Astras from the World-Guardians
Book 3, Chapter 42
दीपवद् विप्रकृष्टत्वात् तनूनि सुमहान्त्यपि । तानि तत्र प्रभास्वन्ति रूपवन्ति च पाण्डव:,वहाँ स्वर्गके निवासी अपने पुण्यकर्मोसे प्राप्त हुई अपनी ही प्रभासे प्रकाशित होते हैं। यहाँ प्रकाशमान तारोंके रूपमें जो दूर होनेके कारण दीपककी भाँति छोटे और बड़े प्रकाशपुंज दिखायी देते हैं, उन सभी प्रकाशमान स्वरूपोंको पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुनने देखा। जो अपने-अपने अधिष्ठानोंमें अपनी ही ज्योतिसे देदीप्यमान हो रहे थे। उन लोकोंमें वे सिद्ध राजर्षि वीर निवास करते थे, जो युद्धमें प्राण देकर वहाँ पहुँचे थे
dīpavad viprakṛṣṭatvāt tanūni sumahānty api | tāni tatra prabhāsvanti rūpavanti ca pāṇḍavāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Because they are far away, even very great bodies appear like lamps—small points of light. There, those forms shine forth in their own radiance; and the Pāṇḍavas beheld them as luminous, beautiful presences. The passage underscores how distance can diminish apparent magnitude, while true merit (puṇya) is portrayed as self-luminous—souls in higher realms are not lit by external fire but by the ethical force of their own deeds.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links radiance with ethical causality: beings in higher realms are depicted as shining by their own acquired merit (puṇya). It also teaches discernment about perception—greatness may appear small when viewed from afar, so one should not judge reality solely by outward appearance.
Vaiśampāyana describes a vision in which distant luminous forms appear like lamp-flames or star-points due to distance. The Pāṇḍavas are said to behold these radiant forms shining in their own light, consistent with the surrounding description of celestial inhabitants and exalted dwellers of higher worlds.