Virāṭa’s Conciliation and Uttara’s Account of the Unseen Champion
Bṛhannadā/Arjuna
निष्पतन्तो रथात् तस्य धौता हैरण्यवासस: । आकाशे समदृश्यन्त हंसानामिवपड्धक्तय:,उनके रथसे निकलते हुए सुनहरे पंखवाले श्वेत बाण आकाशमें हंसोंकी पंक्ति-से दिखायी देते थे
niṣpatanto rathāt tasya dhautā hairaṇyavāsasaḥ | ākāśe samadṛśyanta haṃsānām iva paṅktayaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Als jene Pfeile aus seinem Wagen hervorschossen—hell, glänzend, als wären sie in goldenen Schimmer gekleidet—erschienen sie am Himmel wie geordnete Reihen von Schwänen. Das Bild hebt die ehrfurchtgebietende Kunst und die gezügelte Kraft des Kriegers hervor: selbst in der Gewalt ist das Tun Disziplin und Präzision, nicht Wirrsal.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse primarily teaches through aesthetics: power is most fearsome when governed by control. The warrior’s force is depicted as orderly and disciplined—suggesting that even in conflict, mastery involves restraint, precision, and composure rather than reckless aggression.
In the midst of battle description, the narrator portrays arrows being released from a chariot. Their bright, golden-gleaming appearance and their orderly flight make them look like lines of swans across the sky, emphasizing the archer’s prowess and the spectacle of the moment.