Shloka 53

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 123 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa–Vidura Upadeśa to Duryodhana

Keśava-vākya aftermath

Devanagari script

यः स देवान्‌ सगन्धर्वान्‌ सयक्षासुरपन्नगान्‌ | अजयत्‌ खाण्डवप्रस्थे कस्तं युध्येत मानव:

Transliteration

yaḥ sa devān sagandharvān sayakṣāsurapannagān | ajayat khāṇḍavaprasthē kas taṃ yudhyeta mānavaḥ ||

Translation

ଯିଏ ଖାଣ୍ଡବପ୍ରସ୍ଥରେ ଗନ୍ଧର୍ବ, ଯକ୍ଷ, ଅସୁର ଓ ନାଗମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ଦେବମାନଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଜୟ କରିଥିଲେ—ସେଇ ଅର୍ଜୁନଙ୍କ ସହ କେଉଁ ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ କରିପାରିବ?

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he (that one)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सगन्धर्वान्: together with the Gandharvas
• सगन्धर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-गन्धर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सयक्षासुरपन्नगान्: together with Yakṣas, Asuras, and serpents (Nāgas)
• सयक्षासुरपन्नगान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-यक्ष-असुर-पन्नग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अजयत्: conquered
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• खाण्डवप्रस्थे: in Khāṇḍavaprastha
• खाण्डवप्रस्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: खाण्डवप्रस्थ
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युध्येत: could fight / should fight
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-liṅ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• मानवः: a man / human
• मानवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Devas
• Gandharvas
• Yakṣas
• Asuras
• Pannagas (Nāgas/serpents)
• Khāṇḍavaprastha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches prudent judgment in conflict: when a person’s proven strength surpasses even superhuman opponents, challenging him out of pride or hostility is ethically and practically self-destructive.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana highlights Arjuna’s extraordinary past victories at Khāṇḍavaprastha—over Devas and other powerful beings—to argue that no ordinary human could reasonably stand against him in battle.