Shloka 21
Daśame’hani Bhīṣma-yuddham — Śikhaṇḍī-rakṣaṇa, Arjuna-prabhāva, Duryodhana-āśraya-vākyam
शैलमन्यन्महाराज घोरमस्त्रं मुमोच ह । महाराज! तदनन्तर द्रोणाचार्यने अत्यन्त भयंकर वायव्यास्त्रको देखकर उसका निवारण करनेके लिये भयानक पर्वतास्त्रका प्रयोग किया ।। २० है ।। द्रोणेन युधि निर्मुक्ते तस्मिन्नस्त्रे नराधिप
sañjaya uvāca | śailam anyan mahārāja ghoram astraṃ mumoca ha | droṇena yudhi nirmukte tasminn astre narādhipa |
قال سنجيا: أيها الملك، أطلق عندئذٍ سلاحًا آخر مهيبًا: «سلاح الجبل». فلما أطلق درونا ذلك السلاح في المعركة، يا سيد البشر، إنما استعمله ليدرأ ويكبح سلاح الريح المرعب.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of martial power: as astras escalate in destructiveness, a warrior’s duty is not merely to win but to restrain catastrophe. The narrative implies that mastery must be paired with responsibility—countering a terrifying weapon to prevent wider ruin.
Sanjaya reports to the king that a dreadful ‘Mountain-weapon’ is released. In context, Droṇa employs this formidable astra as a countermeasure against the extremely fearsome Wind-weapon, indicating a high-stakes exchange of divine missiles on the battlefield.