Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve
Gandharva Encounter
पतता शिरसा तेन द्वारं षोडशयोजनम् | पर्वताभेन पिहितं तदागम्यं ततो5भवत्,उसके पर्वत-सदृश विशाल मस्तकने गिरकर (उत्तर-पूर्व देशके) सोलह योजन लम्बे द्वारको बंद कर दिया। अत: वह देश सर्वसाधारणके लिये अगम्य हो गया
patatā śirasā tena dvāraṃ ṣoḍaśa-yojanam | parvatābhena pihitaṃ tad āgamyaṃ tato 'bhavat ||
ಬೀಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಆ ಪರ್ವತಸಮಾನ ಮಹತ್ತಾದ ಶಿರಸ್ಸು ಹದಿನಾರು ಯೋಜನ ವಿಸ್ತಾರದ ದ್ವಾರವನ್ನು ಬಂದು ಮುಚ್ಚಿತು. ಆ ಬಳಿಕ ಆ ಪ್ರದೇಶವು ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯರಿಗೆ ಅಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯವಾಯಿತು.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
The verse highlights how immense power or a single decisive event can reshape access and boundaries in the world; it also suggests that extraordinary realms are not meant for casual entry, becoming unreachable when cosmic conditions change.
A being falls, and his mountain-like head blocks a colossal gate measuring sixteen yojanas, making the region beyond that gate inaccessible to ordinary people thereafter.