Shloka 29
Nārāyaṇāstra-utpātaḥ — Aśvatthāman’s Rallying Roar after Droṇa’s Fall (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६७)
ते तस्य कवचं भित्त्वा हेमचित्रं महाधनम् । प्राविशन् धरणीं भित्त्वा वल्मीकमिव पन्नगा:,जैसे सर्प बाँबीमें घुस जाते हैं, उसी प्रकार वे बाण कृतवर्माके सुवर्णजटित बहुमूल्य कवचको छिज्न-भिन्न करके धरती फाड़कर उसके भीतर घुस गये
te tasya kavacaṃ bhittvā hemacitraṃ mahādhanam | prāviśan dharaṇīṃ bhittvā valmīkam iva pannagāḥ ||
قال سنجيا: لقد حطَّمت تلك السهام درعه البديع المطعَّم بالذهب، بالغ النفاسة؛ ثم شقّت الأرض وغاصت فيها واختفت—كالأفاعي تنساب إلى جُحرٍ في تَلّ النمل الأبيض.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of external protections—armor, wealth, and splendor—before the force of war; it implicitly cautions against relying on material safeguards when adharma-driven violence prevails.
In the midst of battle, attackers break through a warrior’s gold-ornamented, costly armor and then drive on so forcefully that they seem to pierce the ground and vanish into it, compared to snakes entering an anthill.