Shloka 37
Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana
The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint
आक्षिपन्तं तु त॑ दृष्टवा पुत्रस्तव विशाम्पते । अवासर्पत्तत: स्थानात् सा मोघा न्न्यपतद् भुवि,प्रजानाथ! उन्हें गदा चलाते देख आपका पुत्र सहसा उस स्थानसे हट गया और वह गदा व्यर्थ होकर पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ी
ākṣipantaṃ tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā putras tava viśāmpate | avāsarpat tataḥ sthānāt sā moghā nyapatad bhuvi ||
Seeing him hurl the mace, your son, O lord of the people, swiftly slipped away from that spot; the mace, thus rendered fruitless, fell upon the earth. In the moral texture of the episode, the line underscores alertness and presence of mind in battle: force without accurate aim and timing becomes vain, while disciplined awareness preserves life and alters the course of combat.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power alone does not ensure success; effectiveness depends on discernment, timing, and alertness. In dharmic terms, disciplined awareness (samyak-prayoga) makes action fruitful, while misdirected force becomes mogha—vain.
A mace is hurled at the addressed king’s son. Seeing the throw, the son quickly shifts from his position, and the mace misses and drops harmlessly to the earth.