Shloka 1
Mudgalasya Svarga-nirvedaḥ
Mudgala’s Disenchantment with Heaven
#::73:.8 #::3..7 () हि २ 7 षट्चत्वारिशर्दाधेकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: चित्रसेन, अर्जुन तथा युधिष्ठिरका संवाद और दुर्योधनका छुटकारा वैशम्पायन उवाच ततोथ्डथर्जुनश्षित्रसेनं प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् । मध्ये गन्धर्वसैन्यानां महेष्वासो महाद्युति:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! तदनन्तर परम कान्तिमान् महाधनुर्धर अर्जुनने गन्धर्वोकी सेनाके बीच चित्रसेनसे हँसते हुए पूछा--“वीर! कौरवोंको बंदी बनानेमें तुम्हारा क्या उद्देश्य था? स्त्रियोंसहित दुर्योधनको तुमने किसलिये कैद किया?”
Vaiśampāyana uvāca | tato 'rjunaś citrasenaṃ prahasan idam abravīt—madhye gandharva-sainyānāṃ mahēṣvāso mahādyutiḥ | “vīra! kauravān bandī-karaṇe tava ko 'bhiprāyaḥ? strī-sahitaṃ duryodhanaṃ tvaṃ kasmāt kāraṇāt gṛhītavān?”
Vaiśampāyana said: Then Arjuna—radiant and a great archer—standing amid the Gandharva troops, smiled and spoke to Citrasena: “Hero, what was your purpose in taking the Kauravas captive? Why did you seize Duryodhana along with the women?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical inquiry into the use of power: even when an enemy is defeated, one should examine motive and proportionality. Arjuna’s question highlights that victory and punishment must be guided by purpose and dharma, not mere spite or spectacle.
After the Gandharvas have captured Duryodhana and the Kauravas, Arjuna approaches their leader Citrasena amid the Gandharva troops and asks—smiling—why they imprisoned Duryodhana, even along with the women, seeking the reason and intent behind the capture.