Shloka 11
द्रोणस्य सुपर्णव्यूहः — युधिष्ठिरप्रत्यव्यूहः
Droṇa’s Suparṇa Formation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Counter-array
फिर पाण्डुकुमारने भौंहें टेढ़ी करके क्रोधको सूचित करनेवाले अपने महान् शंख देवदत्तको बजाया ।। अथास्त्रमरिसंघष्न॑ त्वाष्ट्रम भ्यस्यदर्जुन: । ततो रूपसहस्राणि प्रादुरासन् पृथक् पृथक्,तदनन्तर अर्जुनने शत्रुसमूहोंका नाश करनेवाले त्वाष्ट नामक अस्त्रका प्रयोग किया। फिर तो उस अस्त्रसे सहस्रों रूप पृथक्-पृथक् प्रकट होने लगे
sañjaya uvāca | athāstram ari-saṅghaghnaṁ tvāṣṭram abhyasyad arjunaḥ | tato rūpa-sahasrāṇi prādurāsan pṛthak pṛthak ||
Sañjaya said: Then Arjuna set in motion the Tvaṣṭṛ weapon, a missile famed for destroying masses of foes. At once, from that astric force, thousands of distinct forms manifested separately—an overwhelming display of war-power that signals how the battle is being driven not only by human valor but by the perilous escalation of supernatural means.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension of war when combatants resort to astras: power multiplies beyond ordinary human limits, and with it the risk of indiscriminate destruction. It implicitly warns that victory pursued through escalating supernatural force can threaten dharma unless governed by restraint and right intent.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna deploys the Tvāṣṭra astra, described as capable of annihilating enemy hosts. Immediately, the weapon’s effect is shown through the appearance of thousands of separate manifestations—suggesting a multi-form, overwhelming astric onslaught on the battlefield.