Shloka 32

Mahābhārata-saṅkṣepa and Avatāra-kāraṇa

Brahmā’s Synopsis of the Epic and the Logic of Divine Descents

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनो ऽथ वेगेन गदामादाय वीर्यवान् / अभ्यधावत वै भीभं कालान्तकयमोपमः

Transliteration

duryodhano 'tha vegena gadāmādāya vīryavān / abhyadhāvata vai bhībhaṃ kālāntakayamopamaḥ

Translation

अथ दुर्योधनो वीर्यवान् वेगेन गदामादाय भीममभ्यधावत, भीभत्सः कालान्तकयमोपमः।

Word by Word

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (sequence: 'then/now')

• वेगेन: with speed
• वेगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); 'having taken'

• वीर्यवान्: valiant
• वीर्यवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (दुर्योधनः इत्यस्य)

• अभ्यधावत: ran towards/charged
• अभ्यधावत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• भीभम्: Bhima
• भीभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (भीमम् इत्यर्थे—भीमं प्रति)

• कालान्तकयमोपमः: like Yama, the end-time destroyer
• कालान्तकयमोपमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कालान्तक (प्रातिपदिक) + यम (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान-तत्पुरुष: कालान्तक-यमस्य उपमः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (दुर्योधनः इत्यस्य)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration; not a Vishnu–Garuda dialogue line)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Unchecked force and ego can resemble destructive kāla; the simile to Yama at pralaya warns of power divorced from dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Kāla as the great equalizer; the terrifying aspect of cosmic order when approached through adharma.

Application: Treat power as responsibility; cultivate self-restraint so strength does not become ‘pralaya-like’ harm.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: battlefield (kṣetra)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana descriptions of Yama and fear imagery in Pretakalpa (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Bhima
• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of Yama imagery in the Garuda Purana?

Here, Yama is used as a metaphor for overwhelming inevitability—death/time—showing how epic events are framed to highlight the force of Kāla and the moral gravity of conflict.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by invoking Yama (death/time), it points to the Garuda Purana’s broader theme that all embodied power ends under Kāla, after which the jīva faces post-death consequences described elsewhere in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Recognize the temporariness of strength and victory; restrain anger and aggression, and prioritize dharma-driven choices knowing time and death are unavoidable.