Shloka 33

Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve

Gandharva Encounter

Devanagari script

ऐरावतं समास्थाय शक्रश्नापि सुरै:ः सह

Transliteration

airāvataṁ samāsthāya śakraḥ snāpi suraiḥ saha

Translation

马尔坎德耶说道：“沙克罗（因陀罗）乘坐爱罗婆多，偕同诸天神众前行，去行灌沐之礼（阿毗湿迦）。”在叙事的脉络中，此句唤起因陀罗的王者与仪式权威：即便是神力，也须循礼而行，呼应《摩诃婆罗多》反复申明的伦理——主权与成功当与达摩及正当的遵行相契。

Word by Word

• ऐरावतम्: Airāvata (Indra's elephant)
• ऐरावतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐरावत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समास्थाय: having mounted / having ascended
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-स्था
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also / even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सुरैः: with the gods
• सुरैः: Sahakari-Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Airāvata
• Śakra (Indra)
• Suras (gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the highest authority (Indra/Śakra) is portrayed as acting through ritual propriety; power is ideally exercised in harmony with dharma and sanctioned observances rather than mere force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Indra mounts his elephant Airāvata and, accompanied by the gods, goes to perform a ceremonial bath/ablution, signaling a formal divine action within the episode.