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Shloka 12

गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel

क्रियाभ्युपायैर्निहती मया राजन्‌ पुरातनौ

kriyābhyupāyair nihatī mayā rājan purātanau

ৰাজন, কাৰ্যকৰ উপায় আৰু কৌশলেৰে মই একদা সেই দুজন প্ৰাচীনক নিধন কৰিছিলোঁ।

क्रियाभ्युपायैःby actions and means (strategies)
क्रियाभ्युपायैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootक्रिया + अभ्युपाय
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
निहताslain/killed
निहता:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootनि-हन् (हन्) धातु
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
मयाby me
मया:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Instrumental, Singular
राजन्O king
राजन्:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
पुरातनौthe two ancient/old (ones)
पुरातनौ:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपुरातन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual

वायुदेव उवाच

वायुदेव (Vāyu)
राजन् (the King, addressee)

Educational Q&A

Power and outcomes are not merely matters of force; they also depend on well-chosen means (upāya) and timely action (kriyā). The line highlights responsibility in employing strategy—implying that effective action, when aligned with rightful purpose, can decisively shape events.

Vāyu addresses a king and recalls a past deed: through specific actions and methods, he caused the downfall of “two ancient ones.” The verse functions as a brief testimony of divine intervention and strategic efficacy within the larger war-time discourse of the Śalya Parva.