Shloka 10
तां च मायां तदा दृष्टवा घोरां नागेन वज्चित: । द्विधा त्रिधा च खगतान् प्राणिन: पाण्डवो5च्छिनत्,तब उस भयानक मायाको देखकर नागसे ठगे गये पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुनने आकाशमें उड़नेवाले प्राणियोंके दो-दो, तीन-तीन टुकड़े कर डाले
tāṃ ca māyāṃ tadā dṛṣṭvā ghorāṃ nāgena vañcitaḥ | dvidhā tridhā ca khagatān prāṇinaḥ pāṇḍavo 'cchinat ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Seeing that dreadful illusion then, the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna), deceived by the serpent’s trickery, struck down the flying creatures in the sky, cutting them into two and even three pieces. The episode underscores how delusion can provoke rash violence, and how discernment is ethically crucial even for a mighty warrior.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of māyā (delusion): when perception is distorted by deception, even a righteous hero may act with excessive force. It implicitly values discernment and restraint—testing appearances before unleashing violence.
A serpent (Nāga) produces a terrifying illusion. Arjuna, momentarily deceived, reacts by attacking the airborne beings he sees, cutting the flying creatures into two or three pieces.