Shloka 24

Mudgalasya Svarga-nirvedaḥ

Mudgala’s Disenchantment with Heaven

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच पाण्डवेनाभ्यनुज्ञातो राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा । प्रणम्य धर्मपुत्रं तु गतेन्द्रिय इवातुर:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca pāṇḍavenābhyanujñāto rājā duryodhanas tadā | praṇamya dharmaputraṃ tu gatendriya ivāturaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: Então o rei Duryodhana, tendo recebido a permissão do Pāṇḍava, inclinou-se diante de Dharmaputra. Aflito, partiu como se os sentidos o tivessem abandonado—seu orgulho contido pela própria cortesia que ele buscara explorar.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

पाण्डवेनby the Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)

अभ्यनुज्ञातःhaving been permitted / granted leave

राजाthe king

दुर्योधनःDuryodhana

तदाthen

प्रणम्यhaving bowed down

धर्मपुत्रम्Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)

तुbut/indeed

गत-इन्द्रियःone whose senses were gone; senseless

इवas if

आतुरःdistressed; afflicted

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Duryodhana

Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid hostility, dharmic conduct is shown through restraint and proper courtesy: Yudhiṣṭhira grants leave, and Duryodhana—though inwardly tormented—must acknowledge that moral authority through a bow. The verse highlights how ethical composure can unsettle arrogance more than open confrontation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Duryodhana, having been allowed by the Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira) to depart, bows to him and leaves in visible distress, described as if his senses had failed—suggesting shock, frustration, or humiliation at the turn of events.