Shloka 26
Adhyāya 61: Saṃmohana-astra and the Kuru Withdrawal (संमोहनास्त्रं तथा कुरुनिवृत्तिः)
अहमिन्द्राद् दृढां मुष्टिं ब्रह्मण: कृतहस्तताम् | प्रगाढे तुमुलं चित्रमिति विद्धि प्रजापते:
aham indrād dṛḍhāṁ muṣṭiṁ brahmaṇaḥ kṛta-hastatām | pragāḍhe tumulaṁ citram iti viddhi prajāpateḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dijo: «Sábelo: de Indra aprendí a mantener el puño firme al tomar el arco; de Brahmā aprendí la rapidez adiestrada y el dominio de la mano al soltar las flechas; y de Prajāpati aprendí el arte de combatir—en lo más hondo de la crisis—con tácticas tumultuosas, variadas y asombrosas. Así, la destreza en la guerra no es mera violencia, sino disciplina forjada bajo ejemplos superiores.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Excellence in warfare is portrayed as disciplined, learned skill: steadiness (firm grip), practiced dexterity (trained hand in archery), and adaptive strategy in crisis. Power is implied to be ethically meaningful only when governed by training and higher principles, not by impulse.
The speaker (reported by Vaiśampāyana) explains the sources of his martial abilities, attributing specific aspects of archery and battle-craft to divine exemplars—Indra, Brahmā, and Prajāpati—thereby emphasizing legitimacy, training, and preparedness for intense conflict.