Shloka 24
Puṣkara-Tīrtha-Māhātmya and the Phala of Pilgrimage
Nārada–Yudhiṣṭhira; Pulastya–Bhīṣma Transmission
उदीचीं यो दिशं गत्वा जित्वा युधि महाबलान् । गन्धर्वमुख्याञ्छतशो हयाँल्लेभे महाद्युति:,जिन महातेजस्वीने उत्तर दिशामें जाकर महाबली मुख्य-मुख्य गन्धर्वोंको युद्धमें परास्त करके उनसे सैकड़ों घोड़े प्राप्त किये
udīcīṃ yo diśaṃ gatvā jitvā yudhi mahābalān | gandharvamukhyān chataśo hayān lebhe mahādyutiḥ ||
Nakula said: 'He who went to the northern quarter and, in battle, overcame the mighty—indeed the foremost among the Gandharvas—obtained hundreds of horses. The episode highlights valor disciplined by purpose: strength is shown not as mere aggression, but as the capacity to secure resources and uphold one’s duty through rightful prowess.'
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores heroic duty: rightful strength is exercised with discipline to accomplish a legitimate aim (here, securing horses), not for cruelty or vanity. Victory is portrayed as purposeful and duty-aligned rather than merely destructive.
Nakula describes a radiant, powerful figure who travels to the northern region, defeats the leading Gandharvas in battle, and thereby gains hundreds of horses—an account emphasizing martial success and the acquisition of valuable resources.