Shloka 60

गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel

Devanagari script

वा्ष्णेयं प्रथमं राजन्‌ प्रत्याख्याय महाबलम्‌

Transliteration

vārṣṇeyaṃ prathamaṃ rājan pratyākhyāya mahābalam

Translation

ਯੁਧਿਸ਼ਠਿਰ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—“ਹੇ ਰਾਜਨ! ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਮਹਾਬਲੀ ਵ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਣੇਯ ਨੂੰ ਠੁਕਰਾ ਕੇ…”

Word by Word

• वृष्णेयम्: the Vrishni prince/descendant (Krishna)
• वृष्णेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रत्याख्याय: having rejected/repulsed
• प्रत्याख्याय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-आ-ख्या
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage as indeclinable gerund)

• महाबलम्: very strong/mighty
• महाबलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa)
• King (addressed interlocutor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights the ethical weight of refusing wise, well-intentioned counsel—especially from a powerful and trusted ally—implying that such rejection can become a cause for later remorse and moral reflection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a king and begins recounting events: he says that, at the outset, the Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa), renowned for great strength, was rejected/refused—setting up a narrative explanation of a consequential decision.