Shloka 2

Āraṇyaka-parva Adhyāya 44 — Arjuna’s Entry into Nandana and Audience with Indra

Devanagari script

पाद्यमाचमनीयं च प्रतिग्राह्म नृपात्मजम्‌ । प्रवेशयामासुरथो पुरन्दरनिवेशनम्‌,राजकुमार अर्जुनको पाद्य, (अर्घ्य)) आचमनीय आदि उपचार अर्पित करके देवताओं ने उन्हें इन्द्रभवनमें पहुँचा दिया

Transliteration

pādyam ācamanīyaṃ ca pratigrāhya nṛpātmajam | praveśayāmāsur atho purandara-niveśanam ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：诸天受纳了礼仪所当奉上的洗足之水（pādya）与净口之水（ācamanīya）后，便引领王子进入普兰达罗（因陀罗）的天宫居所。

Word by Word

पाद्यम्water for washing the feet

आचमनीयम्water for sipping (for rinsing the mouth)

चand

प्रतिगृह्यhaving received/accepted

नृपात्मजम्the king’s son (prince)

प्रवेशयामासुःthey caused (him) to enter / led (him) in

अथthen

पुरन्दरनिवेशनम्Purandara’s dwelling (Indra’s abode)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

Indra (Purandara)

Indra’s abode (Purandara-niveśana)

the gods (devāḥ)

pādya

ācamanīya

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 the dharmic ideal of atithi-satkāra—honoring a guest through proper, purifying rites (pādya and ācamanīya). Respectful reception is presented as a universal ethic, observed even by the gods.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna, the prince, is formally welcomed with ritual offerings of water and then escorted by the gods into Indra’s residence, marking his honored admission into the divine realm.