Shloka 21
Daśame’hani Bhīṣma-yuddham — Śikhaṇḍī-rakṣaṇa, Arjuna-prabhāva, Duryodhana-āśraya-vākyam
शैलमन्यन्महाराज घोरमस्त्रं मुमोच ह । महाराज! तदनन्तर द्रोणाचार्यने अत्यन्त भयंकर वायव्यास्त्रको देखकर उसका निवारण करनेके लिये भयानक पर्वतास्त्रका प्रयोग किया ।। २० है ।। द्रोणेन युधि निर्मुक्ते तस्मिन्नस्त्रे नराधिप
sañjaya uvāca | śailam anyan mahārāja ghoram astraṃ mumoca ha | droṇena yudhi nirmukte tasminn astre narādhipa |
Wahai Maharaja! Ia lalu melepaskan senjata lain yang mengerikan—senjata Gunung. Wahai penguasa manusia, ketika Droṇa melontarkan senjata itu di medan perang, ia digunakan untuk menahan dan menangkis senjata Angin yang amat dahsyat itu.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of martial power: as astras escalate in destructiveness, a warrior’s duty is not merely to win but to restrain catastrophe. The narrative implies that mastery must be paired with responsibility—countering a terrifying weapon to prevent wider ruin.
Sanjaya reports to the king that a dreadful ‘Mountain-weapon’ is released. In context, Droṇa employs this formidable astra as a countermeasure against the extremely fearsome Wind-weapon, indicating a high-stakes exchange of divine missiles on the battlefield.