Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 173

युद्धसंग्रहः

Kurukṣetra Campaign in Summary

Devanagari script

कृत्वा नसुकरं कर्म दानवेष्विव वासव: । जैसे इन्द्र दानवोंपर महान्‌ पराक्रम प्रकट करके आये हों

Transliteration

kṛtvā na sukaraṃ karma dānaveṣv iva vāsavaḥ |

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：他完成了一桩并不容易的事业——如同瓦萨瓦（因陀罗）对达那婆显现大勇猛一般——世尊圣克里希那在久行之后心中欣悦，归来进入自己的居所。

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सुकरम्: easy
• सुकरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कर्म: deed, act
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दानवेषु: among/on the demons (Dānavas)
• दानवेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• वासवः: Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vāsava (Indra)
• Dānavas
• Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Kṛṣṇa’s residence (bhavana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal of completing difficult, duty-oriented action (dushkara karma) with steadiness and inner satisfaction. True success is portrayed not only as outward victory but as the calm fulfillment that follows righteous effort.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Kṛṣṇa, after a long period away and after accomplishing a challenging task, returns in a triumphant-yet-composed manner and enters his residence, likened to Indra returning after displaying valor against the Dānavas.