Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 3

Gadā-yuddhe Bhīma–Duryodhanayoḥ Tumulaḥ Saṃprahāraḥ

Mace-duel’s intense exchange

Devanagari script

अज्ञाप्य सर्वान्‌ नृपतीन्‌ भुक्त्वा चेमां वसुंधराम्‌ । गदामादाय वेगेन पदाति: प्रस्थितो रणे

Transliteration

ajñāpya sarvān nṛpatīn bhuktvā cemāṁ vasuṁdharām | gadām ādāya vegena padātiḥ prasthito raṇe |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Nachdem er allen Königen Befehle erteilt und diese Erde genossen hatte, ergriff er die Keule und brach in Eile, zu Fuß, zur Schlacht auf.“

Word by Word

• आज्ञाप्य: having commanded
• आज्ञाप्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आज्ञा (धातु: आज्ञा/आज्ञाप्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नृपतीन्: kings
• नृपतीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भुक्त्वा: having enjoyed/ruled
• भुक्त्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वसुंधराम्: earth
• वसुंधराम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुंधरा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• वेगेन: with speed
• वेगेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पदातिः: a foot-soldier / on foot
• पदातिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रस्थितः: set out / departed
• प्रस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used actively), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• kings (nṛpati)
• earth (vasuṁdharā)
• mace (gadā)
• battlefield (raṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly power and enjoyment are unstable: even one who commands kings and ‘enjoys the earth’ can be brought low by the consequences of conflict and the turning of fortune, revealing the fragility of sovereignty and pride.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes a ruler who formerly exercised authority over other kings and possessed the earth, but now—taking up a mace—hurries into battle on foot, highlighting a dramatic fall from imperial command to exposed combatant.