Shloka 39

Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve

Gandharva Encounter

Devanagari script

पृष्ठतो विजयस्यापि याति रुद्रस्य पट्टिश:

Transliteration

pṛṣṭhato vijayasyāpi yāti rudrasya paṭṭiśaḥ

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya nói: “Dẫu chiến thắng tưởng như đã nắm chắc, cây paṭṭiśa (vũ khí chiến trận) của Rudra vẫn kề sát phía sau.” Lời ấy cảnh tỉnh rằng khải hoàn không xóa được hiểm nguy; kiêu mạn và lơ là sau thành công dễ mời gọi đảo chiều bất ngờ, nên ngay trên đỉnh vận may vẫn phải giữ kỷ luật, khiêm cung và tỉnh thức.

Word by Word

• पृष्ठतः: from behind/behind
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठ
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverbial form: 'from/at the back, behind')

• विजयस्य: of Vijaya
• विजयस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: Avyaya

• याति: goes/proceeds
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (याति)
• Form: Present tense (Lat), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• रुद्रस्य: of Rudra
• रुद्रस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पट्टिशः: the axe/battle-axe
• पट्टिशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पट्टिश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Vijaya (victory)
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Paṭṭiśa (weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Success is not a guarantee of safety: after victory, complacency and arrogance can invite swift downfall. The verse counsels humility, self-control, and continued vigilance, recognizing that destructive forces (symbolized by Rudra’s weapon) can strike when one least expects it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya delivers a pointed maxim within his discourse: he frames victory as something that can be immediately shadowed by peril, invoking Rudra’s fearsome weapon as an image of sudden reversal and chastisement that follows behind the triumphant.