Shloka 8
स तेन प्रेषितो राज्ञा मेघवद् विनदन् मुहुः । मुखाडम्बरसंह्वादैरभ्यद्रवत फाल्गुनम्,राजासे प्रेरित होकर बारंबार मेघके समान गम्भीर गर्जना करता हुआ वह हाथी अपने मुखके चीत्कारपूर्ण कोलाहलके साथ अर्जुनपर टूट पड़ा
sa tena preṣito rājñā meghavad vinadan muhuḥ | mukhāḍambarasaṃhvādair abhyadravat phālgunam |
Vaiśampāyana said: Sent forward by the king, the elephant repeatedly roared like a thundercloud; with the clamorous, trumpet-like din from its mouth, it charged straight at Phālguna (Arjuna). The scene underscores how royal command can unleash formidable force, testing the warrior’s restraint and discernment in the face of provoked violence.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power directed by authority can become destructive when expressed as unchecked force; the dharmic response for a warrior is to meet danger with discernment and restraint, not mere rage, especially when the aggression is provoked or commanded.
An elephant, dispatched by a king, bellows like a thundercloud and rushes at Arjuna (Phālguna), creating a dramatic confrontation that tests Arjuna’s composure and martial readiness.