Shloka 286
नारायणास्त्र-शमनं द्रौणि-प्रहारश्च
Pacification of the Nārāyaṇāstra and Drauni’s Renewed Assault
स्वर्णदण्डामकुण्ठाग्रां कर्मारपरिमार्जिताम् । राजन्! तब कृपाचार्यने कुपित होकर सोनेके दण्ड और अप्रतिहत धारवाली तथा कारीगरके द्वारा साफ की हुई एक भयंकर शक्ति उसके ऊपर चलायी
svarṇadaṇḍām akuṇṭhāgrāṁ karmāraparimārjitām | rājan! tataḥ kṛpācāryaḥ kupito bhīṣaṇāṁ śaktiṁ tasyaivopari cikṣepa ||
Sañjaya said: “O King, then Kṛpācārya, inflamed with anger, hurled at him a dreadful spear—its shaft of gold, its point unblunted, and its edge freshly burnished by a smith. In the fury of battle, refined craftsmanship becomes an instrument of destruction, showing how wrath can turn even the finest human skill toward harm.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can drive a warrior to violent action, turning even refined skill and craftsmanship into a means of harm; it implicitly warns that inner passions shape the ethical direction of one’s abilities.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Kṛpācārya, enraged in the battle, hurls a terrifying spear (śakti) at an opponent; the weapon is described in vivid detail—golden-shafted, sharp, and freshly polished by a smith.