Shloka 28

इन्द्रस्य पाण्डवैः समागमः

Indra’s Meeting with the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

रक्ताक्षा हेमसंकाशा महाकाया महाबला: । सायुधा बद्धनिस्त्रिंशा यक्षा दशशतावरा:,उन सबके नेत्र लाल थे। शरीरकी कान्ति सुवर्णके समान थी। वे सभी महाकाय और महाबली थे। वे सब तलवार बाँधे अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंस सुसज्जित थे। उनकी संख्या एक हजारसे कम नहीं थी

Transliteration

raktākṣā hemasaṅkāśā mahākāyā mahābalāḥ | sāyudhā baddhaniṣtriṁśā yakṣā daśaśatāvarāḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：“他们目赤如火，身光如金；体魄魁伟，力大无穷。皆执兵刃，腰佩长剑，那些夜叉全副武装而立；其数不少于一千。”

Word by Word

रक्ताक्षाःred-eyed

हेमसंकाशाःgold-like in appearance

महाकायाःhuge-bodied

महाबलाःvery strong

सायुधाःarmed (with weapons)

बद्धनिस्त्रिंशाःwith swords fastened/bound on

यक्षाःYakshas

दशशतावराःnot fewer than a thousand (lit. exceeding ten hundreds)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Yakṣas

swords (niṣtriṁśa)

weapons (āyudha)

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 underscores how outward power—radiance, size, strength, and weaponry—can create fear and moral pressure, yet dharma requires steadiness and discernment in the face of intimidation. In the forest narrative, such displays test a person’s composure and right judgment rather than merely their physical courage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes the sudden appearance (or presence) of a formidable host of Yakṣas: red-eyed, gold-bright, gigantic, and heavily armed, numbering at least a thousand. The description heightens tension and signals a dangerous, otherworldly confrontation within the Vana Parva setting.