Shloka 7
गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel
Devanagari script
क्रियाभ्युपायैर्बहुभि्मायामप्सु प्रयोज्य च
Transliteration
kriyābhyupāyair bahubhir māyām apsu prayojya ca
Translation
“By employing many practical means and stratagems, and by deploying illusion upon the waters as well…”
Word by Word
क्रियाभ्युपायैःby means of practical expedients/actions
क्रियाभ्युपायैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootक्रियाभ्युपाय
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
बहुभिःwith many
बहुभिः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural
मायाम्illusion; magical art; deception
मायाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमाया
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
अप्सुin the waters
अप्सु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअप्
FormFeminine, Locative, Plural
प्रयोज्यhaving employed/applied
प्रयोज्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रयुज्
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्यय (ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (gerund/absolutive)
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
Speaker
वायुदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
व
वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The line highlights that outcomes in conflict are often pursued through multiple expedients, including deceptive stratagems; it implicitly raises the ethical tension in the Mahābhārata between effective means (upāya) and righteous conduct (dharma).
Vāyudeva is describing (or introducing) the use of many action-based methods and a form of māyā—an illusory or deceptive device—applied in connection with water, as part of a broader account of tactics or extraordinary means.