Shloka 20
मुद्गलोपाख्यानम् — व्रीहिद्रोणदानं, दुर्वाससः परीक्षा, स्वर्गगुणप्रश्नः
Mudgala Episode: Rice-measure Charity, Durvāsas’ Test, Inquiry on Heaven
गन्धर्वास्त्रासितान् दृष्टवा कुन्तीपुत्रेण भारत । चित्रसेनो गदां गृह सव्यसाचिनमाद्रवत्,भारत! इस प्रकार कुन्तीकुमारके द्वारा गन्धर्वोंको त्रस्त हुआ देख गन्धर्वराज चित्रसेनने गदा लेकर सव्यसाची अर्जुनपर आक्रमण किया
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Gandharvān astrāsitān dṛṣṭvā Kuntīputreṇa Bhārata, Citrasenaḥ gadāṃ gṛhya Savyasācinam ādravat.
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Bhārata, seeing the Gandharvas thrown into panic by Kuntī’s son, the Gandharva-king Citrasena seized his mace and charged straight at Arjuna, the ambidextrous archer.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the escalation of responsibility in conflict: when a leader sees his forces shaken, he steps forward personally. It also reflects kṣatriya-dharma—meeting a direct challenge with courage and readiness—while implying that power must be matched with restraint and discernment as consequences widen.
Arjuna has frightened and driven back the Gandharvas with his weapons. Observing this, their leader Citrasena takes up a mace and rushes to engage Arjuna directly, intensifying the battle from general skirmish to a leader-versus-hero confrontation.