Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 61

Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana

The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint

Devanagari script

ययुर्देवा यथाकामं गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तथा

Transliteration

yayur devā yathākāmaṃ gandharvāpsarasas tathā

Translation

Kemudian para dewa pun berangkat pergi menurut kehendak mereka; demikian juga para Gandharva dan Apsara, masing-masing meneruskan perjalanan mereka.

Word by Word

• ययुः: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (गत्यर्थे)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• कामम्: desire; wish
• कामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गन्धर्वाः: the Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अप्सरसः: the Apsarases
• अप्सरसः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: likewise, so too
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• देवाः (Devāḥ)
• गन्धर्वाः (Gandharvāḥ)
• अप्सरसः (Apsarasaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights orderly withdrawal after a task is complete: even exalted beings act without attachment, moving on 'as they wish' within the bounds of cosmic propriety—an implicit model of restraint and dharmic closure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva states that the gods, along with the Gandharvas and Apsarases, depart at will—signaling that a particular celestial visitation or intervention has concluded and the scene returns to the human sphere.