Shloka 3
Mātali’s Arrival and Arjuna’s Ascent toward Amarāvatī (मातलिसंयुक्तरथागमनम् तथा इन्द्रलोकगमनारम्भः)
ननन््दनं च वन दिव्यमप्सरोगणसेवितम् । ददर्श दिव्यकुसुमैराद्दयद्धिरिव द्रुमै:,अप्सराओंसे सेवित दिव्य नन्दनवनका भी उन्होंने दर्शन किया, जो दिव्य पुष्पोंसे भरे हुए वृक्षोंद्वारा मानो उन्हें अपने पास बुला रहा था
nandanaṃ ca vanaṃ divyam apsarogaṇasevitam | dadarśa divyakusumair āhvayadbhir iva drumaiḥ ||
Baginda juga melihat rimba Nandana yang surgawi, tempat para Apsara berkelompok-kelompok; pepohonannya sarat dengan bunga-bunga ilahi, seakan-akan memanggilnya mendekat.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the seductive beauty of celestial enjoyment (Apsarases, Nandana grove) while implicitly reminding the listener that such delights are secondary to steadfastness in dharma; spiritual maturity is shown by not losing one’s aim amid splendor.
The narrator describes the protagonist’s vision of the heavenly Nandana forest, attended by Apsarases, with blossom-filled trees appearing to invite him forward—an evocative transition into a divine setting within the Vana Parva episode.