Shloka 20

Mudgalasya Svarga-nirvedaḥ

Mudgala’s Disenchantment with Heaven

Devanagari script

सस्त्रीकुमारै: कुरुभि: पूज्यमाना महारथा: । बश्राजिरे महात्मान: क्रतुमध्ये यथाग्नय:,इस प्रकार उन सब भाई-बंधुओं एवं राजकुलकी महिलाओंको गन्धर्वोंसे छुड़ाकर एवं दुष्कर पराक्रम करके प्रसन्न हुए महारथी महामना पाण्डव स्त्री-बालकोंसहित कौरवोंद्वारा पूजित एवं प्रशंसित हो यज्ञ-मण्डपमें प्रज्वलित अग्नियोंके समान देदीप्यमान हो रहे थे

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca |

sa-strīkumāraiḥ kurubhiḥ pūjyamānā mahārathāḥ |

babhrajire mahātmānaḥ kratumadhye yathāgnayaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：般度诸勇士，心怀广大，连同他们的妇孺一并受俱卢族礼敬；在祭祀会众之中，他们如烈焰般辉耀——因艰苦得来的英勇而受颂扬，也因使俱卢家室重归安稳而名显。

Word by Word

सस्त्रीकुमारैःwith women and boys/children

कुरुभिःby the Kurus

पूज्यमानाःbeing honored/worshipped

महारथाःgreat chariot-warriors

बभ्राजिरेshone, were resplendent

महात्मानःgreat-souled ones

क्रतुमध्येin the midst of the sacrifice (ritual)

यथाas, like

अग्नयःfires

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kurus

Mahārathas (Pāṇḍava warriors, implied)

Women (strī)

Children/young ones (kumāra)

Sacrifice (kratu)

Sacrificial fires (agni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True kṣatriya valor is ethically framed as protection and restoration: the warriors’ glory is not mere conquest but safeguarding women and children, earning communal honor, and being likened to sacrificial fire—power disciplined by dharma and social responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a difficult feat of valor (contextually, the Kurus’ household being freed from danger), the great warriors are publicly honored by the Kurus along with their families. In the sacrificial setting, they appear radiant, compared to the bright fires burning in a yajña.