Shloka 29
अध्याय ८८ — घटोत्कच-दुर्योधनयुद्धवर्णनम्
Ghaṭotkaca–Duryodhana Engagement
तस्थौ च तत्रैव महाधनुष्मान्- शरैस्तदस्त्रं प्रतिबाधमान: । अथाददे वारुणमन्यदस्त्रं शिखण्ड्यथोग्रं प्रतिघातमस्य
sañjaya uvāca |
tasthau ca tatraiva mahādhanuṣmān śarais tad astraṃ pratibādhamānaḥ |
athādade vāruṇam anyad astraṃ śikhaṇḍy athograṃ pratighātam asya ||
Sañjaya dit : Le puissant archer tint sa position sur-le-champ, arrêtant cette arme par ses flèches. Puis Śikhaṇḍī saisit un autre projectile redoutable — l’arme de Vāruṇa (Vāruṇāstra) — destinée à contrer et à frapper en retour cette attaque. La scène souligne la logique implacable de la guerre, faite de mesure et de contre-mesure, où l’adresse et la retenue dans l’usage des astras deviennent un point de tension morale au milieu d’une violence qui s’enfle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, power must be governed by discernment: the verse highlights controlled counteraction—neutralizing an attack before escalating—raising the ethical question of proportionality and responsibility in deploying astras.
A great archer holds his position and blocks an incoming astra with arrows; then Śikhaṇḍī responds by taking up the fierce Vāruṇa weapon as a counter to the opponent’s missile.