Shloka 5

मुद्गलोपाख्यानम् — व्रीहिद्रोणदानं, दुर्वाससः परीक्षा, स्वर्गगुणप्रश्नः

Mudgala Episode: Rice-measure Charity, Durvāsas’ Test, Inquiry on Heaven

Devanagari script

ते कीर्यमाणा: खगमा: शरवर्षै: समन्तत: । न शेकुः पाण्डुपुत्राणां समीपे परिवर्तितुम्‌,सब ओरसे बाणोंकी वर्षाका लक्ष्य होनेके कारण वे आकाशचारी गन्धर्व पाण्डवोंके समीप जानेका साहस न कर सके

Transliteration

te kīryamāṇāḥ khagamāḥ śaravarṣaiḥ samantataḥ | na śekuḥ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ samīpe parivartitum ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Jene himmelswandernden Gandharvas, von allen Seiten von einem Pfeilregen getroffen, vermochten weder den Mut aufzubringen, sich zu wenden, noch sich den Söhnen Pāṇḍus zu nähern.

Word by Word

तेthey (those)

कीर्यमाणाःbeing showered/being pelted

खगमाःsky-goers (birds; here: Gandharvas)

शरवर्षैःby showers of arrows

समन्ततःon all sides, all around

नnot

शेकुःwere able

पाण्डुपुत्राणाम्of the sons of Pandu (the Pandavas)

समीपेnear, in the vicinity

परिवर्तितुम्to move about/turn around (to approach and maneuver)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍuputrāḥ (Pāṇḍavāḥ)

Gandharvāḥ (khagamāḥ)

śarāḥ (arrows)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Steadfast courage and disciplined martial skill, exercised in a protective and righteous spirit, can restrain even formidable opponents; fear arises when aggression meets unwavering resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Gandharvas, moving through the sky, are met from every side by the Pandavas’ dense volleys of arrows; overwhelmed, they cannot circle back or come close to the Pandavas.