Shloka 8
Arjuna Confronted by Saindhava Forces during the Aśvamedha Circuit (श्वेतवाहनस्य सैन्धवसंघर्षः)
स तेन प्रेषितो राज्ञा मेघवद् विनदन् मुहुः । मुखाडम्बरसंह्वादैरभ्यद्रवत फाल्गुनम्,राजासे प्रेरित होकर बारंबार मेघके समान गम्भीर गर्जना करता हुआ वह हाथी अपने मुखके चीत्कारपूर्ण कोलाहलके साथ अर्जुनपर टूट पड़ा
sa tena preṣito rājñā meghavad vinadan muhuḥ | mukhāḍambarasaṃhvādair abhyadravat phālgunam |
Vaiśampāyana said: Sent forward by the king, the elephant repeatedly roared like a thundercloud; with the clamorous, trumpet-like din from its mouth, it charged straight at Phālguna (Arjuna).
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power directed by authority can become destructive when expressed as unchecked force; the dharmic response for a warrior is to meet danger with discernment and restraint, not mere rage, especially when the aggression is provoked or commanded.
An elephant, dispatched by a king, bellows like a thundercloud and rushes at Arjuna (Phālguna), creating a dramatic confrontation that tests Arjuna’s composure and martial readiness.