Shloka 20

Duryodhana’s Post-Duel Lament and Instructions (भग्नसक्थस्य विलापः)

Devanagari script

गदाप्रहारा विपुला: परिघैश्वापि ताडनम्‌ | शक्तिभिभिंन्दिपालैश्लव तोमरै: सपरश्वथै:,'श्रीकृष्णण आपने हमलोगोंके लिये गदाओंके बहुत-से आघात सहे, परिघोंकी मार खायी; शक्ति, भिन्दिपाल, तोमर और फरसोंकी चोटें सहन कीं तथा बहुत-सी कठोर बातें सुनीं। आपके ऊपर रणभूमिमें ऐसे-ऐसे शस्त्रोंके प्रहार हुए, जिनका स्पर्श वज्रके तुल्य था

Transliteration

gadāprahārā vipulāḥ parighaiś cāpi tāḍanam | śaktibhir bhindipālaiś ca tomaraiḥ sa-paraśvathaiḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Alang-alang sa amin, tiniis mo ang maraming mabibigat na hampas ng mga gada; tinamaan ka rin ng mga pamalong bakal (parigha). Dinala mo ang mga tama ng sibat na śakti, bhindipāla, at tomara, kasama ng mga palakol-pandigma; at tiniis mo rin ang maraming masasakit na salita. Sa larangan ng digmaan, bumagsak sa iyo ang mga hagupit ng mga sandatang ang mismong dampi ay tulad ng kidlat (vajra).”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'gadā', 'definition': 'mace

• a heavy bludgeoning weapon'}, {'term': 'prahāra', 'definition': 'blow, strike, assault'}, {'term': 'vipula', 'definition': 'great, abundant, massive'}, {'term': 'parigha', 'definition': 'iron club/bar

• a heavy staff-like weapon'}, {'term': 'tāḍana', 'definition': 'striking, beating, being hit'}, {'term': 'śakti', 'definition': 'spear, lance (thrown or thrust weapon)'}, {'term': 'bhindipāla', 'definition': 'a heavy javelin/dart-like missile weapon (often described as iron and formidable)'}, {'term': 'tomara', 'definition': 'a spear/javelin

• a pointed throwing weapon'}, {'term': 'paraśvatha (paraśu)', 'definition': 'axe, battle-axe'}, {'term': 'vāc (kathorāḥ vacāṃsi implied by the prose gloss)', 'definition': 'speech/words

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• gadā (mace)
• parigha (iron club)
• śakti (spear)
• bhindipāla
• tomara
• paraśvatha/paraśu (battle-axe)
• raṇabhūmi (battlefield)
• vajra (thunderbolt, as simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethic of protective leadership and self-sacrifice: Śrī Kṛṣṇa bears physical assaults and verbal abuse for the sake of his allies, modeling steadfastness, restraint, and commitment to dharma even amid extreme violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana recounts how Kṛṣṇa, present on the battlefield, endured repeated strikes from multiple kinds of weapons—maces, iron clubs, spears, javelins, and axes—whose impact is likened to a thunderbolt, emphasizing the severity of the combat and Kṛṣṇa’s protective role.