Shloka 34
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
जग्रास प्रसभं तानि सर्वाण्यस्त्राणि मे नृप । तेषु सर्वेषु जग्धेषु ब्रह्मास्त्र महदादिशम्
arjuna uvāca |
jagrāsa prasabhaṃ tāni sarvāṇy astrāṇi me nṛpa |
teṣu sarveṣu jagdheṣu brahmāstraṃ mahad ādiśam ||
अर्जुन बोले—राजन्! उसने मेरे उन सभी अस्त्रों को बलपूर्वक ग्रास बना लिया। जब वे सब निगल लिये गये, तब मैंने महान ब्रह्मास्त्र का प्रयोग किया।
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension in warfare: when ordinary means are rendered ineffective, a warrior may feel compelled to escalate to extreme force. It implicitly raises the dharmic question of proportionality and restraint—invoking a supreme weapon like the Brahmāstra is a grave step, justified only under exceptional necessity.
Arjuna reports to a king that his opponent neutralized (as if ‘swallowed’) all the weapons Arjuna had deployed. With his arsenal thus rendered useless, Arjuna responds by releasing the powerful Brahmāstra as a decisive countermeasure.