Shloka 231

मुद्गलोपाख्यानम् — व्रीहिद्रोणदानं, दुर्वाससः परीक्षा, स्वर्गगुणप्रश्नः

Mudgala Episode: Rice-measure Charity, Durvāsas’ Test, Inquiry on Heaven

Devanagari script

तस्याभिपतततस्तूर्ण गदाहस्तस्य संयुगे । गदां सर्वायसी पार्थ: शरैश्षिच्छेद सप्तधा

Transliteration

tasyābhipatatastūrṇaṃ gadāhastasya saṃyuge | gadāṃ sarvāyasīṃ pārthaḥ śaraiś ciccheda saptadhā ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana nói: Khi chiến binh cầm chùy ấy lao tới như vũ bão giữa vòng chiến, Pārtha (Arjuna) đã dùng tên chém cây chùy bằng sắt ròng của hắn thành bảy đoạn—một hành động phô bày kỹ nghệ có kỷ luật và sức mạnh được tiết độ giữa cơn hỗn loạn của chiến trận.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• अभिपततः: while (he was) rushing/charging (towards)
• अभिपततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√पत्
• Form: present active participle (शतृ), masculine, genitive, singular

• तूर्णम्: swiftly
• तूर्णम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्ण

• गदा-हस्तस्य: of (him) whose hand held a mace / of the mace-in-hand (one)
• गदा-हस्तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा-हस्त
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• गदाम्: the mace
• गदाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• सर्वायसीम्: entirely of iron / all-iron
• सर्वायसीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वायसी
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• चिच्छेद: cut (asunder)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √छिद्
• Form: perfect (लिट्), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• सप्तधा: into seven parts / sevenfold
• सप्तधा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सप्तधा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• gadā (mace)
• śara (arrows)
• saṃyuga (battle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in violent conflict, the epic highlights disciplined restraint and precision: strength is guided by skill and control, not by uncontrolled rage. The hero neutralizes a threat efficiently, minimizing prolonged harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

A mace-armed fighter charges quickly in battle. Arjuna responds by shooting arrows that sever the attacker’s iron mace into seven pieces, disarming him and shifting the momentum of the encounter.