Shloka 163
Chapter 12: Arjuna’s suppression of the Saṃśaptakas and duel with Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi
बद्धासय: पाशहस्ता वारणप्रतिवारणा: । उन्होंने अनेक प्रकारके रंगीन वस्त्र पहन रखे थे और अपने अंगोंमें सुगन्धित चूर्ण लगा रखा था। उनकी कमरमें तलवार बँधी थी, वे हाथमें पाश लिये हुए थे और हाथियोंको भी रोक देनेकी शक्ति रखते थे
baddhāśayāḥ pāśahastā vāraṇaprativāraṇāḥ |
قال سنجيا: كانوا ثابتين منضبطين، بأيديهم الحبال ذات العُرى، ولهم من القوة والمهارة ما يَكفي لكبح الفيلة نفسها.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined resolve and controlled strength: power in war is not only destructive but also administrative and coercive—trained to restrain, capture, and enforce order. Ethically, it points to how royal warfare relies on organized force capable of subduing even the mightiest beings.
Sañjaya is describing a group of formidable men—equipped with nooses and renowned for their ability to restrain even elephants—emphasizing their readiness and capacity for forceful control within the war setting.