Shloka 4
Āraṇyaka-parva Adhyāya 44 — Arjuna’s Entry into Nandana and Audience with Indra
शक्रस्य हस्ताद् दयितं वज्रमस्त्रं च दुः:सहम् । अशनीक्ष महानादा मेघबहिणलक्षणा:,उन्होंने इन्द्रके हाथसे उनके प्रिय एवं दुःसह अस्त्र वज्॑ और भारी गड़गड़ाहट पैदा करनेवाली उन अशनियोंको ग्रहण किया, जिनका प्रयोग करनेपर जगतमें मेघोंकी घटा घिर आती और मयूर नृत्य करने लगते हैं
śakrasya hastād dayitaṃ vajram astraṃ ca duḥsaham | aśanīkṣā mahānādā megha-bahiṇa-lakṣaṇāḥ |
Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: Dari tangan Śakra (Indra) sendiri, ia menerima Vajra—senjata kesayangan yang tiada tertahan—serta kilat-kilat yang mengaum dahsyat; setiap kali dilepaskan, awan ribut berkumpul memenuhi langit dan burung merak pun menari.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Divine power is portrayed as a trust: receiving an irresistible weapon from Indra implies both capability and restraint. The verse highlights awe-inspiring force (storm, thunder, lightning) while implicitly reminding that such force must be governed by dharma and responsibility, not mere aggression.
The narrator describes a moment of empowerment: a hero receives Indra’s cherished Vajra and roaring lightning-like missiles. Their use is so potent that it is likened to monsoon signs—cloudbanks gathering and peacocks dancing—emphasizing the weapon’s cosmic, weather-shaping grandeur.