Shloka 14
अग्निभय-प्रसङ्गे मन्दपालस्य शोकः
Mandapāla’s Lament amid the Threat of Fire
नवमेघप्रतीकाशं ज्वलन्तमिव च श्रिया । अश्रितौ त॑ रथश्रेष्ठ शक्रायुधसमावुभौ,वह रथ नूतन मेघके समान प्रतीत होता था और अपनी दिव्य शोभासे प्रज्वलित-सा हो रहा था। इन्द्र-धनुषके समान कान्तिवाले श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन उस श्रेष्ठ रथके समीप गये
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: navamegha-pratīkāśaṃ jvalantam iva ca śriyā | āśritau tau rathaśreṣṭhaṃ śakrāyudha-samāv ubhau ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Ang pinakadakilang karwahe ay mistulang bagong ulap-ulan at wari’y nagliliyab sa ningning. Kapwa sina Kṛṣṇa at Arjuna ay lumapit sa maringal na karwaheng iyon, maningning na gaya ng sandata ni Indra (ang bahaghari).”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how noble action and duty (dharma) are often accompanied—at least in epic narration—by signs of auspicious brilliance, suggesting moral elevation and divine favor around a righteous undertaking.
Vaiśampāyana describes an exceptionally splendid chariot, likened to a fresh rain-cloud and glowing with beauty; Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna then approach that chariot, their radiance compared to Indra’s weapon (often understood as the rainbow).