Shloka 8
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 137 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa Counsel and the Ethics of Restraint
दानवा घोरकर्माणो निवातकवचा युधि । रौद्रमस्त्रं समादाय दग्धा वानरकेतुना,“कपिथध्वज अर्जुनने युद्धमें भयंकर कर्म करनेवाले निवातकवच नामक दानवोंको रुद्रदेवतासम्बन्धी पाशुपत अस्त्र लेकर दग्ध कर डाला था
dānavā ghorakarmāṇo nivātakavacā yudhi | raudram astraṃ samādāya dagdhā vānaraketuṇā ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana sprach: In der Schlacht wurden die Dānavas, Nivātakavacas genannt—Männer von schrecklichen Taten—von Arjuna, dessen Banner den Affen trug, verbrannt, als er die furchtbare, Rudra zugehörige Waffe ergriff.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that overwhelming force—especially divine weaponry—must be understood as a disciplined, purpose-bound power. Even terrifying adversaries fall when confronted by rightly directed, mastered strength rather than uncontrolled fury.
Vaiśaṃpāyana recalls a past exploit of Arjuna: in a battle against the Dānavas known as the Nivātakavacas, Arjuna (identified by his monkey-banner) employed a fierce Rudra-associated weapon and burned them down.