Shloka 19
Plakṣāvataraṇa–Yamunā Tīrtha and Prajāpati’s Vedī
Kurukṣetra Threshold
सर्वाल्लॉकान् प्रपश्यामि तपसा सत्यविक्रम । इहस्थ: पाण्डवश्रेष्ठं पश्यामि श्वेतवाहनम्,“मुनीश्वर! तपोबलसे सम्पन्न होनेके कारण वस्तुतः आप ही यथार्थ पराक्रमी हैं। आपकी कृपासे आज मैं इस प्लक्षावतरणके जलमें स्थित होकर सब लोकोंको प्रत्यक्ष देख रहा हूँ। यहींसे मुझे पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ श्वेतवाहन अर्जुन भी दिखायी देते हैं
sarvāṁl lokān prapaśyāmi tapasā satyavikrama | ihasthaḥ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaṁ paśyāmi śvetavāhanam ||
“Ó verdadeiramente valente, cuja força se firma na verdade: pelo poder de tuas austeridades, contemplo diretamente todos os mundos. E, estando aqui mesmo, também vejo Arjuna—o mais eminente entre os Pāṇḍavas—aquele cuja carruagem é puxada por corcéis brancos.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights tapas (austerity) and satya (truth) as sources of authentic strength: spiritual discipline grants clarity of perception, and true valor is portrayed as rooted in truth rather than mere force.
The speaker reports a supernormal vision enabled by an ascetic’s power: from his present location he can see all realms and also perceives Arjuna, identified by the epithet ‘white-horsed,’ indicating a distant yet vividly apprehended sight.