Shloka 33
Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ
King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt
वासवा: पड्च राजानः पृथग्वंशाश्व शाश्वता: | वसन्तमिन्द्रप्रासादे आकाशे स्फाटिके च तम्
vasavāḥ pañca rājānaḥ pṛthagvaṃśāś ca śāśvatāḥ | vasantaṃ indraprāsāde ākāśe sphāṭike ca tam |
Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: Lima raja yang dikenali sebagai para Vasu berasal daripada salasilah yang berbeza, masing-masing mengekalkan tradisi dinasti purba mereka. Antara mereka, Raja Vasu dari Cedi bersemayam tinggi di langit, tinggal dalam istana udara bak kristal yang dianugerahkan oleh Indra. Dihadirkan Gandharva dan Apsara untuk berkhidmat, baginda masyhur dengan gelaran Uparicara—“yang bergerak di atas”—kerana sentiasa mengembara dan menetap di alam tinggi.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the prestige of righteous kingship grounded in established lineage and sustained tradition, and shows how extraordinary status (here, a celestial dwelling granted by Indra) becomes socially meaningful through reputation and naming—fame follows distinctive conduct and circumstance.
Vaiśaṃpāyana describes the five rulers called the Vasus and focuses on Cedi’s King Vasu, who lives in a crystal-like palace in the sky given by Indra, attended by Gandharvas and Apsarases; because he moves and resides ‘above,’ he is celebrated as Uparicara.