Shloka 343

Devanagari script

प्रादुश्षक्रे महामायां राक्षसीं पाण्डुनन्दन: । कर्णको दिव्यास्त्रका संधान करते देख पाण्डवनन्दन घटोत्कचने अपनी राक्षसी महामाया प्रकट की

Transliteration

prāduścakre mahāmāyāṃ rākṣasīṃ pāṇḍunandanaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Der Sohn Pāṇḍus ließ seine große, aus rākṣasischer Herkunft stammende Täuschungsmacht (mahāmāyā) hervortreten. Mitten in der Schlacht bedeutet dies den Rückgriff auf außerordentliche Mittel—wenn Macht, Trug und Gegentrug zu Werkzeugen des Krieges werden und die ethische Spannung zwischen der Notwendigkeit des Kampfes und dem Ideal geraden, offenen Handelns anwächst.

Word by Word

प्रादुःmanifestly, forth

चक्रेmade, produced

महामायाम्great illusion, mighty magical deception

राक्षसीम्rakshasi-like, demonic (fem.)

पाण्डुनन्दनःson of Pāṇḍu (i.e., a Pāṇḍava)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāṇḍunandana (Ghaṭotkaca)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in extreme conflict, combatants may employ extraordinary powers and deception. It invites reflection on the moral strain of war: even when survival and duty press hard, reliance on illusion underscores how warfare can erode the ideal of transparent, righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍava (here understood as Ghaṭotkaca) produces a formidable rākṣasa-type magical illusion on the battlefield, intensifying the struggle through supernatural stratagem rather than ordinary weapons alone.