Shloka 10

Arjuna Honored in Indra’s Court; Lomāśa’s Audience; Indra’s Disclosure of Lineage and Mission

Book 3, Chapter 45

Devanagari script

एको वै रक्षिता चैव त्रिदिवं मघवानिव । अकत्थनो मानयिता स्थूललक्ष्य: प्रियंवद:

Transliteration

eko vai rakṣitā caiva tridivaṁ maghavān iva | akatthano mānayitā sthūlalakṣyaḥ priyaṁvadaḥ ||

Translation

वैशंपायन म्हणाले— तो खरोखर एकटाच रक्षक होता—जसा मघवान (इंद्र) त्रिदिवाचे रक्षण करतो. तो बढाईखोर नव्हता, इतरांचा मान राखणारा; उद्देशात सरळ, सहज ओळखू येईल असा; आणि प्रिय वचन बोलणारा होता.

Word by Word

एकःalone, single

वैindeed, surely

रक्षिताprotector, guardian

चand

एवjust, only, indeed

त्रिदिवम्heaven, the threefold heaven

मघवान्Maghavan (Indra)

इवlike, as

अकत्थनःnot boastful, unvainglorious

मानयिताhonorer, one who shows respect

स्थूललक्ष्यःhaving a broad/obvious aim; with a large target

प्रियंवदःsweet-spoken, pleasant-speaking

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Maghavān (Indra)

Tridiva (heaven)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises an ideal protector-leader: strong in safeguarding others, yet humble (without self-praise), respectful toward people, transparent in intention, and gentle in speech—ethical power joined with restraint and courtesy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana is describing a person’s character in laudatory terms, comparing his protective capacity to Indra’s guardianship of heaven and highlighting virtues of humility, respect for others, clarity of purpose, and pleasing speech.