Shloka 8

धनंजयस्य आश्वासनम्

Dhanaṃjaya’s Reassurance and the Opening Engagement

Devanagari script

तत्र देवास्त्रयस्त्रिंशत्‌ तिष्ठन्ति सहवासवा: । गन्धर्वा राक्षसा: सर्पा: पितरक्ष महर्षिभि:

Transliteration

tatra devās trayastriṁśat tiṣṭhanti sahavāsavāḥ | gandharvā rākṣasāḥ sarpāḥ pitarakṣa maharṣibhiḥ |

Translation

Trong cảnh giới thiên đình ấy, ba mươi ba vị thần đứng rạng ngời cùng với Vāsava (Indra). Bên cạnh họ còn có Gandharva, Rākṣasa, các Nāga (xà thần), các Pitṛ (linh hồn tổ tiên) và những bậc đại hiền triết—một hội chúng tuyên dương trật tự đạo lý rộng lớn của vũ trụ, nơi quyền uy thần linh, luật lệ tổ tiên và tuệ giác khổ hạnh đều hiện diện làm chứng.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र
• Form: indeclinable

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिंशत्
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• तिष्ठन्ति: stand/abide
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (तिष्ठ)
• Form: present, third, plural, parasmaipada

• सह: together with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह
• Form: indeclinable

• वासवाः: Indras (Vasava); i.e., with Indra
• वासवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• गन्धर्वाः: Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• राक्षसाः: Rakshasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सर्पाः: serpents
• सर्पाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• पितरः: manes/ancestors
• पितरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable

• महर्षिभिः: by/with great sages
• महर्षिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Vāsava (Indra)
• the Thirty-three Devas (trayastriṃśat devāḥ)
• Gandharvas
• Rākṣasas
• Serpents/Nāgas (sarpāḥ)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Maharṣis (great sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes a vision of dharmic cosmos: sovereignty (Indra), ancestral authority (Pitṛs), and spiritual insight (Maharṣis) coexist as legitimizing witnesses. Power is shown as accountable to a larger moral and cosmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes a divine gathering where Indra and the thirty-three gods are present, accompanied by other classes of beings—Gandharvas, Rākṣasas, Nāgas, Pitṛs, and sages—forming a grand celestial assembly.