Shloka 303

गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः

Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings

Devanagari script

हृदं द्वैघायनं नाम विवेश भूशदु:खित: । परंतु बलरामजी! जब शल्य मारे गये, तब ये तीनों भी भयके मारे सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंमें पलायन कर गये थे। शल्यके मारे जाने और कृप आदिके भाग जानेपर दुर्योधन बहुत दुःखी हुआ और भागकर द्वैपायनसरोवरमें जा छिपा

Transliteration

hṛdaṃ dvaighāyanaṃ nāma viveśa bhūśa-duḥkhitaḥ |

Translation

Nārada said: “Overwhelmed with grief and distress, he entered the lake known as Dvaighāyana. And, O Balarāma, when Śalya was slain, those three too fled in fear to all directions. After Śalya’s fall and the departure of Kṛpa and the others, Duryodhana became deeply sorrowful and, fleeing, went and hid in the Dvaipāyana lake.”

Word by Word

• हृदम्: lake, water-reservoir
• हृदम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• द्वैघायनम्: Dvaighāyana (a proper name)
• द्वैघायनम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वैघायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नाम: by name, named
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)

• विवेश: entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भूशदुःखितः: distressed because of the earth/land (i.e., deeply afflicted)
• भूशदुःखितः: कर्ता
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूशदुःखित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Balarāma
• Śalya
• Duryodhana
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) (by epithet in 'dvaighāyana' / 'dvaipāyana')
• Dvaipāyana lake (Dvaipāyana-sarovara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights the moral and psychological fallout of adharma-driven conflict: when key protectors fall and allies scatter, fear replaces pride, and the consequences of one’s choices force retreat and concealment. It suggests that power without righteousness is unstable and collapses under pressure.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Śalya is killed, remaining Kaurava supporters disperse in fear. With Kṛpa and others gone, Duryodhana is devastated and flees to hide in the lake associated with Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa), setting the stage for the final confrontation.