Mahabharata — Vana Parva, Shloka 11

Arjuna meets the Lokapālas, is tested by Indra, and is led to Amarāvatī for astra-śikṣā

Indraloka-gamana

Devanagari script

एतं पर्वतराजानं समुद्र च महोदधिम्‌ | आवसन्‌ वरुणो राजा भूतानि परिरक्षति

Transliteration

etaṁ parvatarājānaṁ samudraṁ ca mahodadhim | āvasan varuṇo rājā bhūtāni parirakṣati ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: Обитая на том царе гор и в океане — великом вместилище вод, — царь Варуна пребывает, охраняя всех живых существ. Этот отрывок помещает космический порядок в географию: гора, связанная с закатом солнца, и великое море становятся престолом Варуны; оттуда он поддерживает защиту и сдержанность — важнейшие опоры дхармы.

Word by Word

• एतम्: this (him/this one)
• एतम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पर्वतराजानम्: the king of mountains
• पर्वतराजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वतराज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समुद्रम्: the sea
• समुद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महोदधिम्: the great ocean
• महोदधिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोदधि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आवसन्: dwelt, resided
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूतानि: beings, creatures
• भूतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• परिरक्षति: protects all around
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Varuṇa
• parvatarāja (king of mountains)
• samudra (ocean)
• mahodadhi (great ocean)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents Varuṇa as a guardian-king whose residence in the ocean symbolizes protective sovereignty and moral restraint; cosmic governance is portrayed as the safeguarding of all beings, aligning kingship with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Varuṇa’s abode: he dwells in relation to a preeminent mountain and the great ocean, and from there he protects living creatures—linking divine presence to specific cosmic locations.