Shloka 25
गन्धेनापि हि संग्रामे तस्य क्रुद्धस्य शत्रव:ः । विसंज्ञा हतभूयिष्ठा वेपन्ति च पतन्ति च,संग्राममें भगवान् शंकरके कुपित होनेपर उनकी गन्धसे भी शत्रु बेहोश होकर काँपने लगते और अधमरे होकर गिर जाते हैं
gandhenāpi hi saṅgrāme tasya kruddhasya śatravaḥ | visaṃjñā hata-bhūyiṣṭhā vepanti ca patanti ca ||
Vyāsa said: Even in the midst of battle, when that Lord Śaṅkara is enraged, the enemies are overwhelmed merely by his very scent; they lose consciousness, tremble, and collapse, left as though half-dead. The passage underscores the moral asymmetry between human warfare and the terrifying, uncontrollable force of the divine when provoked.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the overwhelming and morally sobering disparity between human strength and divine force: when the divine is provoked, even indirect contact (mere scent) can incapacitate foes, urging humility and restraint in the face of powers beyond ordinary dharma of combat.
Vyāsa describes Śaṅkara’s terrifying presence in a war context: when he becomes angry, enemies in the battlefield faint, tremble, and fall as though half-dead, emphasizing the irresistible potency of the deity.