Shloka 25
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
ततो गिरिमिवात्यर्थमावृणोन्मां महाशरै: । तं॑ चाहं शरवर्षेण महता समवाकिरम्
tato girim ivātyartham āvṛṇon māṃ mahāśaraiḥ | taṃ cāhaṃ śaravarṣeṇa mahatā samavākiram ||
Alors il me recouvrit tout entier de grandes flèches, comme une montagne qu’un déluge viendrait voiler. En retour, je l’accablai moi aussi de toutes parts d’une pluie de flèches formidable.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of steadfastness under attack: when overwhelmed, one does not collapse but responds with disciplined strength, matching aggression without losing composure.
Arjuna describes an exchange of missile-fire: his opponent blankets him with a dense volley of powerful arrows, and Arjuna counters by covering the opponent with an equally heavy rain of arrows.