Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 23

Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana

The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint

दक्षिणं मण्डलं सव्यं गोमूत्रकम थापि च । व्यचरत्‌ पाण्डवो राजन्नरिं सम्मोहयज्निव,राजन! पाण्डुपुत्र भीमसेन आपके पुत्रको मोहित करते हुए-से दक्षिण, वाम और गोमूत्रक मण्डलसे विचरने लगे

dakṣiṇaṁ maṇḍalaṁ savyaṁ gomūtrakaṁ tathāpi ca | vyacarat pāṇḍavo rājann ariṁ sammohayan niva ||

风神说道:“大王啊,那般度婆之子毗摩塞那仿佛要迷惑敌人一般,施展右旋之环、左旋之环,又兼用名为‘瞿牟特罗迦’的招式——回旋佯动,以扰乱你儿在战中的判断。”

दक्षिणम्right (side)
दक्षिणम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootदक्षिण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
मण्डलम्circle/formation
मण्डलम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमण्डल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सव्यम्left (side)
सव्यम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसव्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
गोमूत्रकम्the 'gomūtraka' (a named circular formation/movement)
गोमूत्रकम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगोमूत्रक
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
स्थापिalso/and (particle)
स्थापि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्थापि
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
व्यचरत्moved about/roamed
व्यचरत्:
TypeVerb
Rootवि + चर्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular
पाण्डवःthe Pāṇḍava (Bhīma)
पाण्डवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
अरिम्the enemy
अरिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअरी
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
सम्मोहयन्bewildering/deluding
सम्मोहयन्:
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + मुह्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
इवas if/like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव

वायुदेव उवाच

V
Vāyudeva
P
Pāṇḍava (Bhīmasena)
T
the enemy
T
the King (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
Y
your son (Duryodhana)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights that in righteous warfare (kṣatriya-dharma), victory is not only a matter of strength but also of disciplined technique and presence of mind—using controlled movement and feints to unsettle an opponent rather than relying on brute force alone.

Vāyudeva describes Bhīma’s battlefield movement: he circles to the right and left and uses the ‘gomūtraka’ maneuver, creating deceptive, winding motion to confuse the enemy—specifically Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana).