Shloka 31
Nārāyaṇāstra-utpātaḥ — Aśvatthāman’s Rallying Roar after Droṇa’s Fall (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६७)
तस्य शक्तिममेयात्मा पाण्डवो भुजगोपमाम् | चिक्षेप भरतश्रेष्ठ रथे न्यस्य महद् धनु:,भरतश्रेष्ठ तब अमेय आत्मबलसे सम्पन्न पाण्डुनन्दन युधिष्ठिरने अपने विशाल धनुषको रथपर रखकर कृतवर्मापर एक सर्पाकार शक्ति चलायी
tasya śaktim ameyātmā pāṇḍavo bhujagopamām | cikṣepa bharataśreṣṭha rathe nyasya mahad dhanuḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata—wahai yang terbaik di antara keturunan Bharata, lalu Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira) yang berjiwa tak terukur meletakkan busur besarnya di kereta dan melemparkan senjata śakti, melesat meliuk bagai ular, ke arahnya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the grave moral weight of martial choice: in a dharma-war setting, a warrior’s resolve can shift from standard combat (bow) to a more decisive weapon (śakti), underscoring how intention and consequence intensify together.
Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍava (understood here as Yudhiṣṭhira) sets his large bow on the chariot and hurls a serpent-like spear-weapon at his opponent, marking a sharp, dangerous turn in the immediate combat.