Shloka 14
वज्रदत्तेन सह अर्जुनयुद्धम्
Arjuna’s engagement with Vajradatta during the Aśvamedha circuit
अर्जुनस्तानसम्प्राप्तान् गाण्डीवप्रभवै: शरैः । द्विधा त्रिधा च चिच्छेद ख एव खगमैस्तदा
arjunas tān samprāptān gāṇḍīvaprabhavaiḥ śaraiḥ | dvidhā tridhā ca ciccheda kha eva khagamais tadā ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Als die Wurfspeere heranstürmten, zerschnitt Arjuna mit Pfeilen, die er vom Gāṇḍīva löste—schnell wie Vögel am Himmel—jedes Geschoss noch in der Luft, spaltete es in zwei, ja sogar in drei Teile. Das Bild hebt eine disziplinierte Kriegskunst hervor: Gewalt wird mit präziser Zurückhaltung beantwortet, Schaden wird verhindert, ohne das Geschehen am Boden unnötig zu eskalieren.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined power: Arjuna’s mastery is shown not as reckless violence but as precise, controlled defense—neutralizing incoming harm efficiently, reflecting kṣatriya-dharma guided by restraint.
As enemy javelins approach, Arjuna shoots swift arrows from the Gāṇḍīva and slices the missiles apart in the sky itself, breaking each into two or three pieces before they can reach their target.