Shloka 60

गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel

Devanagari script

वा्ष्णेयं प्रथमं राजन्‌ प्रत्याख्याय महाबलम्‌

Transliteration

vārṣṇeyaṃ prathamaṃ rājan pratyākhyāya mahābalam

Translation

玉提湿陀罗说道：“大王啊，你先拒绝了那位瓦尔什涅耶——力大无穷者——……”

Word by Word

• वृष्णेयम्: the Vrishni prince/descendant (Krishna)
• वृष्णेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रत्याख्याय: having rejected/repulsed
• प्रत्याख्याय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-आ-ख्या
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage as indeclinable gerund)

• महाबलम्: very strong/mighty
• महाबलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa)
• King (addressed interlocutor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights the ethical weight of refusing wise, well-intentioned counsel—especially from a powerful and trusted ally—implying that such rejection can become a cause for later remorse and moral reflection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a king and begins recounting events: he says that, at the outset, the Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa), renowned for great strength, was rejected/refused—setting up a narrative explanation of a consequential decision.