Shloka 49
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
प्रणम्य मनसा शर्व ततो वचनमाददे । भगवान् मे प्रसन्नश्वेदीप्सितो5यं वरो मम
praṇamya manasā śarva tato vacanam ādade | bhagavān me prasannaś ced īpsito 'yaṃ varo mama |
Arjuna, curvando-se em sua mente diante de Śarva (Śiva), falou então: “Se o Bem-aventurado está satisfeito comigo, este é o dom que desejo: quero conhecer e obter as armas divinas que estão sob a guarda dos deuses.” Ao ouvir isso, Śiva concedeu-lhe a graça de acesso a todos os mísseis celestiais.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Extraordinary power (such as divine weapons) is portrayed as legitimate only when sought with reverence, restraint, and right intention. Arjuna does not demand power for ego; he petitions through devotion and receives it as a sanctioned responsibility, implying that strength must be ethically grounded and accountable to dharma.
After mentally bowing to Śiva (Śarva), Arjuna states his desired boon: to know and obtain the celestial weapons possessed by the gods. Śiva, pleased, responds by granting him the boon of acquiring all divine astras, preparing Arjuna for the coming conflict.