Shloka 19

Plakṣāvataraṇa–Yamunā Tīrtha and Prajāpati’s Vedī

Kurukṣetra Threshold

Devanagari script

सर्वाल्लॉकान्‌ प्रपश्यामि तपसा सत्यविक्रम । इहस्थ: पाण्डवश्रेष्ठं पश्यामि श्वेतवाहनम्‌,“मुनीश्वर! तपोबलसे सम्पन्न होनेके कारण वस्तुतः आप ही यथार्थ पराक्रमी हैं। आपकी कृपासे आज मैं इस प्लक्षावतरणके जलमें स्थित होकर सब लोकोंको प्रत्यक्ष देख रहा हूँ। यहींसे मुझे पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ श्वेतवाहन अर्जुन भी दिखायी देते हैं

Transliteration

sarvāṁl lokān prapaśyāmi tapasā satyavikrama | ihasthaḥ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaṁ paśyāmi śvetavāhanam ||

Translation

“噢，真实为勇、以真理为威的豪杰！凭借你苦行的威力，我得以亲见诸世界。就立于此处，我亦看见般度诸子之最的阿周那——白马驾车者。”

Word by Word

सर्वान्all

लोकान्worlds/realms

प्रपश्यामिI clearly see

तपसाby austerity

सत्यविक्रमO true-in-valour (O one whose prowess is true)

इहस्थःstanding here / being here

पाण्डवश्रेष्ठम्the best of the Pāṇḍavas

पश्यामिI see

श्वेतवाहनम्the one with a white chariot/vehicle (epithet)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

Pāṇḍavas

all worlds (lokas)

white steeds/chariot (śveta-vāhana)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights tapas (austerity) and satya (truth) as sources of authentic strength: spiritual discipline grants clarity of perception, and true valor is portrayed as rooted in truth rather than mere force.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker reports a supernormal vision enabled by an ascetic’s power: from his present location he can see all realms and also perceives Arjuna, identified by the epithet ‘white-horsed,’ indicating a distant yet vividly apprehended sight.