Shloka 21
Vyāsa’s Consolation to Yudhiṣṭhira: Tapas, Kāla, and the Difficulty of Dāna (दान-तपस्-विवेकः)
तथैव शरवर्षेण गन्धर्वास्ते बलोत्कटा: | पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तन्त पाण्डवाक्षु दिवौकस:,इसी प्रकार बलोन्मत्त गन्धर्व भी बाणोंकी बौछार करते हुए पाण्डवोंसे भिड़ गये। इधरसे पाण्डव भी गन्धवोका डटकर सामना करने लगे
tathaiva śaravarṣeṇa gandharvāste balotkaṭāḥ | pāṇḍavān abhyavartanta pāṇḍavākṣu divaukasaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “In the same way, those mighty Gandharvas, pouring down a rain of arrows, rushed upon the Pāṇḍavas. And the Pāṇḍavas, for their part, stood firm and met the celestial warriors head-on.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfastness under assault: when confronted by overwhelming force, the righteous response for warriors is to stand firm, maintain composure, and meet aggression without panic—an ethic of courage and resolve aligned with kṣatriya-dharma.
A fierce exchange begins: the powerful Gandharvas attack with a dense volley of arrows, and the Pāṇḍavas respond by holding their ground and engaging them directly in battle.