Shloka 6.70.28
त्रिशिरा–देवान्तक–महोदर–मत्त (महापार्श्व) वधः | Slaying of Trisira, Devantaka, Mahodara, and Matta (Mahaparsva)
महोदरस्तुसङ्कृद्धःकुञ्जरंपर्वतोपमम् ।भूयस्समधिरुह्याशुमन्दरंरमशिमानिव ।।।।ततोबाणमयंवर्षंनीलस्योरस्यपातयत् ।गिरौवर्षंतडिच्चक्रचापवानिवतोयदः ।।।।
mahodaras tu saṅkruddhaḥ kuñjaraṃ parvatopamam |
bhūyaḥ samadhiruhyāśu mandaraṃ ramaśimān iva ||
tato bāṇamayaṃ varṣaṃ nīlasyorasi pātayat |
girau varṣaṃ taḍiccakracāpavān iva toyadaḥ ||
Then Mahodara, inflamed with rage, swiftly mounted an elephant like a mountain—like the radiant sun rising over Mandara—and thereafter poured a rain of arrows upon Nīla’s chest, as a storm-cloud wreathed with lightning and rainbow showers rain upon a mountain.
Mahodara got enraged, mounted on an elephant just as the Sun went over Mandara mountain and went for war. Then Mahodara wielding bow rained arrows, just as rainy clouds with lightning and rainbows showers rain, on the mountain like chest of Neela.
Dharma is indirectly taught through imagery: power and grandeur (elephant, sun, mountain) are ethically neutral—what matters is whether strength is governed by righteousness or by anger.
Mahodara enters the fight in fury, mounts a massive elephant, and unleashes a dense volley of arrows at Nīla.
On Nīla’s side, steadfastness under overwhelming force is foregrounded; on Mahodara’s side, martial energy is intensified by rage.