Shloka 35
Virāṭa’s Conciliation and Uttara’s Account of the Unseen Champion
Bṛhannadā/Arjuna
निष्पतन्तो रथात् तस्य धौता हैरण्यवासस: । आकाशे समदृश्यन्त हंसानामिवपड्धक्तय:,उनके रथसे निकलते हुए सुनहरे पंखवाले श्वेत बाण आकाशमें हंसोंकी पंक्ति-से दिखायी देते थे
niṣpatanto rathāt tasya dhautā hairaṇyavāsasaḥ | ākāśe samadṛśyanta haṃsānām iva paṅktayaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: As those arrows shot from his chariot flew forth—bright, gleaming, and as if clad in golden sheen—they appeared in the sky like orderly rows of swans. The image underscores the awe-inspiring skill and controlled force of the warrior: even in violence, the action is portrayed with discipline and precision rather than chaos.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily teaches through aesthetics: power is most fearsome when governed by control. The warrior’s force is depicted as orderly and disciplined—suggesting that even in conflict, mastery involves restraint, precision, and composure rather than reckless aggression.
In the midst of battle description, the narrator portrays arrows being released from a chariot. Their bright, golden-gleaming appearance and their orderly flight make them look like lines of swans across the sky, emphasizing the archer’s prowess and the spectacle of the moment.