Shloka 29
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
अर्णुर्ब॑हच्छिरा भूत्वा बृहच्चाणुशिरा: पुन: । एकीभूतस्तदा राजन् सो<भ्यवर्तत मां युधि
arṇur bahacchirā bhūtvā bṛhaccāṇuśirāḥ punaḥ | ekībhūtastadā rājan so 'bhyavartata māṃ yudhi |
Arjuna dit : «Ô roi, tantôt il devenait un être au corps minuscule mais à la tête immense ; tantôt, de nouveau, il prenait un corps gigantesque tandis que sa tête paraissait petite. Enfin, se rassemblant en une seule forme, il s’avança contre moi dans le combat.»
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights steadiness and discernment in conflict: even when an adversary changes form and creates confusion, a warrior must keep composure, assess the situation clearly, and respond with appropriate means rather than panic.
Arjuna reports to a king that his opponent repeatedly altered proportions—sometimes tiny-bodied with a huge head, sometimes huge-bodied with a tiny head—before finally consolidating into a single form and directly engaging Arjuna in battle.