Shloka 1
विराटसभायां पाण्डवानां प्रवेशः — Arjuna’s Encomium of Yudhiṣṭhira in Virāṭa’s Court
वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! जब भीष्मजी युद्धका मुहाना छोड़कर दूर हट गये
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
āhūyamānaś ca sa tena saṅkhye mahātmanā vai dhṛtarāṣṭraputraḥ |
nivartitas tasya girāṅkuśena mahāgajo matta ivāṅkuśena ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Oh rey Janamejaya, en aquella batalla el hijo de Dhṛtarāṣṭra, aunque una y otra vez fue desafiado por aquel héroe magnánimo, fue hecho retroceder—frenado por sus palabras como por un aguijón—igual que un gran elefante en celo contenido por el garfio.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that arrogance and aggression can be restrained not only by physical force but also by the moral authority of fearless speech; a righteous, steady-minded hero can check a proud opponent as effectively as a goad controls a raging elephant.
During the cattle-raid episode in the Virāṭa context, Duryodhana (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son), though challenged in battle by the great-souled warrior (contextually Arjuna), is forced to recoil—his advance halted by the opponent’s commanding words, likened to an elephant in musth being restrained by an elephant-hook.