Shloka 16
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 54 — Missile-Exchange and Tactical Redirection
Arjuna, Aśvatthāman, Karṇa
सुवर्णकार्ष्णायसवर्मनद्धा नागा यथा हैमवता: प्रवृद्धा: तथा स शत्रून् समरे विनिध्नन् गाण्डीवधन्वा पुरुषप्रवीर:
suvarṇakārṣṇāyasavarmanaddhā nāgā yathā haimavatāḥ pravṛddhāḥ tathā sa śatrūn samare vinighnan gāṇḍīvadhanvā puruṣapravīraḥ
Vaiśampāyana said: Armoured in mail of gold and dark iron, like mighty nāga-serpents grown strong in the Himālaya, Arjuna—the foremost of men, bearer of the Gāṇḍīva—struck down his enemies in the press of battle.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights controlled strength in righteous combat: a warrior’s power, protected by preparedness (armour) and guided by purpose, is to be applied decisively against foes in battle as part of kṣatriya-duty, not as uncontrolled violence.
The narrator describes Arjuna in battle: clad in strong armour of gold and dark iron, he is compared to powerful Himalayan serpents, and he is depicted striking down enemies with his famed bow, the Gāṇḍīva.