Shloka 23

धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Sañjaya on Arjuna’s Indraloka report and the political consequences

Devanagari script

उपस्थाने महेन्द्रस्य वर्तमाने मनोरमे । तवागमनतो वृत्ते स्वर्गस्थ परमोत्सवे

Transliteration

upasthāne mahendrasya vartamāne manorāme | tavāgamanato vṛtte svargastha paramotsave

Translation

ಅರ್ಜುನನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಮಹೇಂದ್ರ (ಇಂದ್ರ)ನ ಉಪಸ್ಥಾನ ಎಂಬ ಆ ಮನೋಹರ ವಿಧಿ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ, ಸ್ವರ್ಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಆ ಪರಮೋತ್ಸವ ಆಚರಿಸಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ—ನೀನು ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಬಂದಾಗ ಏನು ಸಂಭವಿಸಿತು?

Word by Word

उपस्थानेin the attendance/service (assembly)

महेन्द्रस्यof Mahendra (Indra)

वर्तमानेwhile (it was) taking place/going on

मनोरमेin the delightful (occasion/place)

तवof you/your

आगमनतःfrom (your) coming/arrival

वृत्तेwhen (it was) happened/occurred

स्वर्गस्थेin the heavenly (state/realm)

परमोत्सवेin the supreme festival/celebration

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Mahendra (Indra)

Svarga (heaven)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models respectful inquiry into events occurring within a higher moral and social order: Arjuna asks about conduct and happenings in Indra’s heavenly assembly, implying that even in exalted settings, actions and their propriety matter and are worth understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna questions his interlocutor about what took place when they arrived in heaven during Indra’s ceremonial gathering—specifically, what incident occurred at that supreme heavenly festival upon the person’s arrival.