Shloka 22

Mahāprasthānika-parva Adhyāya 2: The Northward March, Sight of Himavat and Meru, and the Sequential Falls

Devanagari script

अवमेने धरनुग्रहानेष सर्वाश्व॒ फाल्गुन: । तथा चैतन्न तु तथा कर्तव्यं भूतिमिच्छता,अर्जुनने सम्पूर्ण धनुर्धरोंका अपमान भी किया था; अत: अपना कल्याण चाहनेवाले पुरुषको ऐसा नहीं करना चाहिये

Transliteration

avamene dhanuḥ-grahāṇeṣu sarvān aśva-phālgunaḥ | tathā caitat na tu tathā kartavyaṃ bhūtim icchatā ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sagte: „Aśvaphālguna (Arjuna) zeigte einst Verachtung gegenüber allen, die im Umgang mit dem Bogen kundig waren. Doch wer wahres Wohlergehen und dauerhaften Wohlstand erstrebt, sollte nicht so handeln.“

Word by Word

अवमेनेinsulted / disrespected

धनुर्ग्रहान्bow-bearers / archers

एषःthis (man)

अश्वफाल्गुनःAśvatthāman (son of Droṇa)

तथाthus / in that manner

चand

एतत्this (act/thing)

नnot

तुbut / indeed

तथाso / in that way

कर्तव्यम्to be done / ought to be done

भूतिम्welfare / prosperity

इच्छताby one who desires

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Arjuna (Aśvaphālguna)

bow (dhanuḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a great hero may err through pride; a person seeking true welfare (bhūti) should avoid contempt and disrespect, especially toward the capable and deserving.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Mahāprasthānika context, Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on conduct and consequences, citing Arjuna’s earlier disdain toward other archers as an example of behavior that should not be repeated by one aiming at lasting good.