Shloka 10
तां च मायां तदा दृष्टवा घोरां नागेन वज्चित: । द्विधा त्रिधा च खगतान् प्राणिन: पाण्डवो5च्छिनत्
tāṃ ca māyāṃ tadā dṛṣṭvā ghorāṃ nāgena vañcitaḥ | dvidhā tridhā ca khagatān prāṇinaḥ pāṇḍavo 'cchinat ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana sprach: Als er jene schreckliche Täuschung sah, schlug der Pāṇḍava (Arjuna), von der List der Schlange betrogen, die in der Luft fliegenden Wesen nieder und spaltete sie in zwei, ja sogar in drei Teile.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of māyā (delusion): when perception is distorted by deception, even a righteous hero may act with excessive force. It implicitly values discernment and restraint—testing appearances before unleashing violence.
A serpent (Nāga) produces a terrifying illusion. Arjuna, momentarily deceived, reacts by attacking the airborne beings he sees, cutting the flying creatures into two or three pieces.