Shloka 153

गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel

Devanagari script

क्रियाभ्युपायैर्निहता: क्रियां तस्मात्‌ समाचर । राजन! कार्यकौशल ही बलवान है

Transliteration

kriyābhyupāyair nihatāḥ kriyāṃ tasmāt samācara | rājan! kāryakauśalaṃ hi balavān, anyā na kaścid vastūni | yudhiṣṭhira! daitya-dānava-rākṣasāś ca bahavaś ca bhūpālāḥ kriyātmaka-upāyaiḥ eva hatāḥ; ataḥ tvam api kriyātmaka-upāyasya eva āśrayaṃ lehi ||

Translation

风神伐由说道：“许多人都因切实而善加施行的手段而覆灭；因此，大王，当果断行事。能成就当行之事的才干，才是真正的力量——别无他物。噢，坚战（Yudhiṣṭhira），诸多底耶提、达那婆、罗刹以及许多国王，皆为有效的谋略与坚决的执行所诛；你也当依凭切实之策。”

Word by Word

• क्रिया: action, effort, practical measure
• क्रिया: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (स्त्री)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्युपायैः: by means of expedients/strategic measures
• अभ्युपायैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्युपाय (पुं)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• निहताः: slain, killed
• निहताः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु) → निहत (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

• क्रियाम्: action (as the object to be undertaken)
• क्रियाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (स्त्री)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that reason
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)

• समाचर: undertake, practice, do
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Daityas
• Dānavas
• Rākṣasas
• Bhūpālas (kings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True strength lies in kārya-kauśala—competent, timely, and effective action. Ethical intent must be matched by practical means; otherwise, even a righteous cause fails.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Yudhiṣṭhira, urging him to abandon hesitation and rely on concrete, workable measures. He cites the defeat of various powerful beings and kings through practical stratagems to justify decisive action in the ongoing war context.