Arjuna Enters Indra's Celestial City Amaravati

Arjuna saw the city from a distance and knew immediately that he had arrived somewhere that ordinary eyes were never meant to see. Amaravati, the city of Indra, king of the gods, was beautiful beyond description — frequented by siddhas and charanas (perfected beings and celestial singers), filled with sacred trees that flowered in every season. A fragrant breeze moved through it, carrying the perfumes of those trees, and it fanned Arjuna as he approached. He saw the divine grove of Nandana, crowded with apsaras (celestial dancers), and the blossoming trees themselves seemed to welcome him. This world, he understood, was not for everyone. It could not be seen by those who had not burnt themselves with austerities, or those who did not maintain the sacred fires. It was closed to those who had refrained from battle, or who followed falsehood instead of truth. Those who had abandoned the sacred learning of the Vedas could not enter here. Nor could those who had never bathed in the sacred waters of tirthas (pilgrimage sites), or those who had disrupted sacrifices, or the mean, or the addicted to drink, or those who had violated their preceptor's bed, or those who ate meat. The evil-minded ones — they could never see this place. Arjuna entered Shakra's beloved city. He saw thousands of divine vimanas (celestial chariots) that could go anywhere at will — some stationed, others moving through the sky in tens of thousands. The gandharvas and apsaras praised him as he walked. Sacred winds, redolent with the scent of flowers, fanned him. The gods, gandharvas, siddhas, and supreme rishis welcomed Partha happily, for his deeds were untiring. He was blessed and praised, accompanied by the sound of divine instruments. The mighty-armed one advanced along the starry path known as suravithi (the road of the gods), accompanied by the sound of conch-shells and drums. On Indra's command, he travelled along it and was praised in every direction. There, assembled before him, were the Sadhyas, the Vishvas, the Maruts, the Ashvins, the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras — the great classes of gods. There were unblemished brahmarshis (sages of the Brahmin order) and many rajarshis (royal sages), including the kings led by Dilipa. Tumburu and Narada were there, and the gandharvas Haha and Huhu. The descendant of the Kuru lineage showed homage to all of them in the appropriate manner.