Shloka 6
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
यथोक्तवांस्त्वां भगवान् शतक्रतुररिंदम । कृतप्रियस्त्वयास्मीति तस्य ते कि प्रियं कृतम्
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
athokta-vāṁs tvāṁ bhagavān śatakratur ariṁdama |
kṛta-priyas tvayāsmīti tasya te ki priyaṁ kṛtam ||
毗湿摩耶那说：“降敌者啊，吉祥的百祭主（因陀罗）曾如此对你说，并宣称：‘你为我成就了我所珍爱的事。’那么，你替他完成的那件心爱之事，究竟是什么？”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical idea that divine approval is tied to meaningful service: being ‘dear’ to a deity is not mere praise but implies a concrete act that benefits the cosmic order (dharma) and the community of gods.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana points to Indra’s statement that the hero has fulfilled something dear to him, and asks what specific deed was performed—setting up an explanation of the service rendered to Indra that earned his satisfaction.