Shloka 41
निवातकवचवधः — Arjuna’s Neutralization of the Nivātakavacas
Vajra-astra deployment
अतिशक्रमिदं सर्व तवेति प्रतिभाति मे । इत्युक्त्वा55काशमाविश्य मातलिविंबुधालयान्,'कुरुश्रेष्ठ! तुम्हारी ये सब बातें मुझे इन्द्रसे भी बढ़कर प्रतीत हो रही हैं।' भरतकुलभूषण नरेश! ऐसा कहकर मातलिने अन्तरिक्षलोकमें प्रविष्ट होकर मुझे देवताओंके घरों और विमानोंका दर्शन कराया, फिर हरे रंगके घोड़ोंसे जुता हुआ वह रथ वहाँसे भी ऊपरकी ओर बढ़ चला
atiśakram idaṁ sarvaṁ taveti pratibhāti me | ity uktvā ākāśam āviśya mātalir vimbudhālayān |
Arjuna disse: “Tudo isto me parece superar até mesmo Indra — tal é a tua grandeza.” Tendo dito isso, Mātali penetrou no céu e mostrou-me as moradas celestes, os palácios dos deuses e seus carros aéreos; então aquele carro, jungido a cavalos de tonalidade verde, prosseguiu ainda mais alto.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights discernment in praise: Arjuna recognizes a greatness that seems to exceed even Indra’s, implying that true excellence is measured by virtue and the transformative vision it grants, not merely by rank or power.
After Arjuna’s statement of admiration, Mātali takes him into the sky and shows him the gods’ dwellings and celestial vehicles; then the chariot drawn by green-hued horses ascends even higher, marking a guided tour of higher worlds.