Shloka 18
Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda
चापवेगायतस्ती क्षण: परकायावभेदन: । ऋणजु: सुनिशित: पीत: सायकश्न स्रुवो महान्,धनुषके वेगसे दूरतक जानेके कारण जो विशाल आकार धारण करता है, वह शत्रुके शरीरको विदीर्ण करनेवाला तीखा, सीधा, पैना और पानीदार बाण ही यजमानके हाथमें स्थित महान् ख्रुव है
cāpavegāyatas tīkṣṇaḥ parakāyāvabhedanaḥ | ṛjuḥ suniśitaḥ pītaḥ sāyakaḥ śruvo mahān ||
Ambarīṣa said: “The great ladle (śruva) that rests in the sacrificer’s hand is, in truth, like an arrow—drawn out by the speed of a bow, sharp, straight, keen-edged, and ‘drinking’ (wet with the oblation). It is capable of piercing the enemy’s body.”
अम्बरीष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that dharmic ritual action is not merely ceremonial: when performed with precision and intent, it has decisive power. By likening the śruva to a sharp arrow, it frames disciplined sacrifice as an ethical ‘weapon’ that can overcome hostile forces and protect order.
Ambarīṣa is speaking and uses a vivid metaphor: the sacrificial ladle in the yajamāna’s hand is compared to a bow-driven arrow—sharp, straight, and piercing—emphasizing the potency and seriousness of the sacrificial act.