Shloka 231
मुद्गलोपाख्यानम् — व्रीहिद्रोणदानं, दुर्वाससः परीक्षा, स्वर्गगुणप्रश्नः
Mudgala Episode: Rice-measure Charity, Durvāsas’ Test, Inquiry on Heaven
तस्याभिपतततस्तूर्ण गदाहस्तस्य संयुगे । गदां सर्वायसी पार्थ: शरैश्षिच्छेद सप्तधा
tasyābhipatatastūrṇaṃ gadāhastasya saṃyuge | gadāṃ sarvāyasīṃ pārthaḥ śaraiś ciccheda saptadhā ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: As that mace-wielding warrior rushed swiftly forward in the thick of battle, Pārtha (Arjuna) cut his entirely iron mace into seven pieces with his arrows—an act that displays disciplined skill and measured force amid the chaos of combat.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in violent conflict, the epic highlights disciplined restraint and precision: strength is guided by skill and control, not by uncontrolled rage. The hero neutralizes a threat efficiently, minimizing prolonged harm.
A mace-armed fighter charges quickly in battle. Arjuna responds by shooting arrows that sever the attacker’s iron mace into seven pieces, disarming him and shifting the momentum of the encounter.