ततः कदा चिद् धरिसंप्रयुक्तं; महेन्द्रवाहं सहसोपयातम् ॥
विद्युत्प्रभं प्रेक्ष्य महारथानां; हर्षो ऽर्जुनं चिन्तयतां बभूव ॥
स दीप्यमानः सहसान्तरिक्षं; प्रकाशयन् मातलिसंगृहीतः ॥
बभौ महोल्केव घनान्तरस्था; शिखेव चाग्नेर् ज्वलिता विधूमा ॥
तम् आस्थितः संददृशे किरीटी; स्रग्वी वराण्य् आभरणानि बिभ्रत् ॥
धनंजयो वज्रधरप्रभावः; श्रिया ज्वलन् पर्वतम् आजगाम ॥
स शैलम् आसाद्य किरीटमाली; महेन्द्रवाहाद् अवरुह्य तस्मात् ॥
धौम्यस्य पादाव् अभिवाद्य पूर्वम्; अजातशत्रोस् तदनन्तरं च ॥
वृकोदरस्यापि ववन्द पादौ; माद्रीसुताभ्याम् अभिवादितश् च ॥
समेत्य कृष्णां परिसान्त्व्य चैनां; प्रह्वो ऽभवद् भ्रातुर् उपह्वरे सः ॥
बभूव तेषां परमः प्रहर्षस्; तेनाप्रमेयेण समागतानाम् ॥
स चापि तान् प्रेक्ष्य किरीटमाली; ननन्द राजानम् अभिप्रशंसन् ॥
यम् आस्थितः सप्त जघान पूगान्; दितेः सुतानां नमुचेर् निहन्ता ॥
तम् इन्द्रवाहं समुपेत्य पार्थाः; प्रदक्षिणं चक्रुर् अदीनसत्त्वाः ॥
ते मातलेश् चक्रुर् अतीव हृष्टाः; सत्कारम् अग्र्यं सुरराजतुल्यम् ॥
सर्वं यथावच् च दिवौकसस् तान्; पप्रच्छुर् एनं कुरुराजपुत्राः ॥
तान् अप्य् असौ मातलिर् अभ्यनन्दत्; पितेव पुत्रान् अनुशिष्य चैनान् ॥
ययौ रथेनाप्रतिमप्रभेण; पुनः सकाशं त्रिदिवेश्वरस्य ॥
tataḥ kadā cid dharisaṃprayuktaṃ; mahendravāhaṃ sahasopayātam ||
vidyutprabhaṃ prekṣya mahārathānāṃ; harṣo 'rjunaṃ cintayatāṃ babhūva ||
sa dīpyamānaḥ sahasāntarikṣaṃ; prakāśayan mātalisaṃgṛhītaḥ ||
babhau maholkeva ghanāntarasthā; śikheva cāgner jvalitā vidhūmā ||
tam āsthitaḥ saṃdadṛśe kirīṭī; sragvī varāṇy ābharaṇāni bibhrat ||
dhanaṃjayo vajradharaprabhāvaḥ; śriyā jvalan parvatam ājagāma ||
sa śailam āsādya kirīṭamālī; mahendravāhād avaruhya tasmāt ||
dhaumyasya pādāv abhivādya pūrvam; ajātaśatros tadanantaraṃ ca ||
vṛkodarasyāpi vavanda pādau; mādrīsutābhyām abhivāditaś ca ||
sametya kṛṣṇāṃ parisāntvya caināṃ; prahvo 'bhavad bhrātur upahvare saḥ ||
babhūva teṣāṃ paramaḥ praharṣas; tenāprameyeṇa samāgatānām ||
sa cāpi tān prekṣya kirīṭamālī; nananda rājānam abhipraśaṃsan ||
yam āsthitaḥ sapta jaghāna pūgān; diteḥ sutānāṃ namucer nihantā ||
tam indravāhaṃ samupetya pārthāḥ; pradakṣiṇaṃ cakrur adīnasattvāḥ ||
te mātaleś cakrur atīva hṛṣṭāḥ; satkāram agryaṃ surarājatulyam ||
sarvaṃ yathāvac ca divaukasas tān; papracchur enaṃ kururājaputrāḥ ||
tān apy asau mātalir abhyanandat; piteva putrān anuśiṣya cainān ||
yayau rathenāpratimaprabheṇa; punaḥ sakāśaṃ tridiveśvarasya ||
'And then one day, as they were thinking of Arjuna, they saw in the sky the chariot of Mahendra, suddenly approaching, yoked with tawny steeds and flashing like lightning. It shone in the sky, guided by Matali, like a great meteor blazing within a cloud, or the smokeless flame of fire. Upon it they beheld Kiritin: crowned with a garland, wearing splendid ornaments, blazing with the glory of the Wielder of the Thunderbolt. Dhananjaya arrived at the mountain. Descending from Indra's chariot, he first bowed to the feet of Dhaumya, then to Ajatashatru, then to Vrikodara; the sons of Madri greeted him, he came to Krishna, comforted her, and humbly took his place beside his elder brother. Great was the joy of the Pandavas at meeting this peerless hero, and Kiritin himself, seeing them, rejoiced and praised the king. The Pandavas circled the chariot of Indra — the very one on which the slayer of Namuchi had once crushed the hosts of Diti's sons. They paid Matali the highest honor, as though to the king of the gods himself, and asked him about the celestials. Matali greeted them in turn, instructing them like a father his sons, and on his incomparably radiant chariot returned once more to the lord of the third heaven.'
de34d2a9ec1e · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:13:48 PM UTC
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Arjuna's return begins with bows of respect. Even having gained heavenly weapons and glory, his first act is to bow before his teacher, his elder brother, and his family; power does not separate him from humility.