vipra - of the brāhmaṇa; apatyam - the child; acakṣāṇaḥ - not seeing; tataḥ - from there; aindrīm - of Lord Indra; agāt - he went; purīm - to the city; āgneyīm - the city of the fire-god; nairṛtīm - the city of the subordinate god of death (Nirṛti, who is distinct from Lord Yama); saumyam - the city of the moon-god; vāyavyām - the city of the wind-god; vāruṇīm - the city of the god of the waters; atha - then; rasātalam - the subterranean region; nāka-pṛṣṭham - the roof of heaven; dhiṣṇyāni - domains; anyāni - others; udāyudhaḥ - with weapons held ready; tataḥ - from them; alabdha - failing to obtain; dvija - of the brāhmaṇa; sutaḥ - the son; hi - indeed; anistīrṇa - not having fulfilled; pratiśrutaḥ - what he had promised; agnim - fire; vivikṣuḥ - about to enter; kṛṣṇena - by Lord Kṛṣṇa; pratyuktaḥ - opposed; pratiṣedhatā - who was trying to convince him to desist.

Not seeing the brāhmaṇa’s child there, Arjuna went to the cities of Indra, Agni, Nirṛti, Soma, Vāyu and Varuṇa. With weapons at the ready he searched through all the domains of the universe, from the bottom of the subterranean region to the roof of heaven. Finally, not having found the brāhmaṇa’s son anywhere, Arjuna decided to enter the sacred fire, having failed to keep his promise. But just as he was about to do so, Lord Kṛṣṇa stopped him and spoke the following words.