Shloka 28
Śālva–Pradyumna Yuddha: Sārathya-kauśala, Astra-pratikāra, Daiva-niyati
Chapter 20
मत्कराग्रविनिर्मुक्ता दानवानां शरास्तथा । अड्रेषु रुचिरापाज़ा विविशु: शलभा इव,तब मेरे हाथोंसे छूटे हुए मनोहर पंखवाले बाण दानवोंके अंगोंमें शलभोंकी भाँति घुसने लगे
matkarāgraviniḥmuktā dānavānāṃ śarās tathā | aḍreṣu rucirāpāṅkhā viviśuḥ śalabhā iva ||
Vāsudeva said: “Then the arrows I released from the forepart of my bow—bright and beautifully feathered—pierced into the bodies of the Dānavas, swarming into them like moths rushing into a blazing fire.” The verse heightens the moral atmosphere of battle: disciplined force, when wielded by a righteous protector, becomes swift and inevitable, while the aggressors meet the consequences of their own hostility.
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that in a dharmic struggle, disciplined and purposeful force—especially in the hands of a righteous protector—acts swiftly and decisively; those who choose aggression meet the natural consequences of their own enmity.
Vāsudeva describes releasing well-feathered arrows that penetrate the Dānavas’ bodies, comparing their rapid, irresistible entry to moths rushing into a fire—an image emphasizing speed, inevitability, and the overwhelming momentum of combat.