Shloka 22
Bhīmasena’s Capture by the Serpent and Nahūṣa’s Self-Disclosure (भीमसेन-भुजङ्गग्रहणं नहुषोपाख्यानप्रस्तावः)
अरक्ष्यमाणान्येतानि त्रैलोक्यस्पापि पाण्डव भवन्ति सम विनाशाय मैव॑ भूय: कृथा: क्वचित्,'पाण्डुपुत्र! इनकी समुचित रक्षा न होनेपर ये दिव्यास्त्र तीनों लोकोंके विनाशके कारण बन जाते हैं। अतः फिर कभी इस तरह इनके प्रदर्शनका साहस न करना। अजातशण्रु युधिष्ठटि! (आप भी इस समय इन्हें देखनेका आग्रह छोड़ दें।) जब रणक्षेत्रमें शत्रुओंके संहारका अवसर आयगा, उस समय अर्जुनके द्वारा प्रयोगमें लाये जानेपर इन दिव्यास्त्रोंका दर्शन कीजियेगा'
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: arakṣyamāṇāny etāni trailokyasyāpi pāṇḍava bhavanti sama-vināśāya; māiva bhūyaḥ kṛthāḥ kvacit. Pāṇḍuputra! inakī samucita rakṣā na hone para ye divyāstra tīnoṃ lokoṃ ke vināśa ke kāraṇa ban jāte haiṃ; ataḥ phira kabhī isa taraha inke pradarśana kā sāhasa na karanā. Ajātaśatru Yudhiṣṭhira! (āp bhī isa samaya inheṃ dekhane kā āgraha choṛa deṃ.) Jab raṇakṣetra meṃ śatruoṃ ke saṃhāra kā avasara āyegā, us samaya Arjuna ke dvārā prayoga meṃ lāye jāne para in divyāstroṃ kā darśana kījiye gā.
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Pāṇḍava, if these divine weapons are not properly guarded, they can become the cause of the destruction of even the three worlds. Therefore, never again dare to display them in this manner. O Yudhiṣṭhira, who has no enemies, give up for now your insistence on seeing them. When the time comes on the battlefield for the destruction of foes, then behold these celestial weapons as Arjuna employs them.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Extraordinary power (divyāstras) must be guarded and used only at the rightful time and place; reckless display is adharma because it risks disproportionate harm—even cosmic ruin—so restraint and responsibility are paramount.
Vaiśampāyana narrates an admonition to the Pāṇḍavas: the divine weapons should not be exhibited casually. Yudhiṣṭhira is asked to stop insisting on seeing them now and to wait until the battlefield, when Arjuna will properly employ them against enemies.