Shloka 263
Chapter 30: Formation Disruption, Competing War-Cries, and Nīla’s Fall
Droṇa-parva
जघानास्त्रबलेनाशु प्रहसन्नर्जुनस्तदा । इस प्रकार सुबलपुत्र शकुनिके द्वारा बारंबार प्रयुक्त हुई नाना प्रकारकी मायाओंको उस समय अर्जुनने अपने अस्त्रबलसे हँसते-हँसते शीघ्र ही नष्ट कर दिया
jaghānāstrabalena āśu prahasann arjunas tadā |
Sañjaya said: Then Arjuna, smiling as though in contempt of deceit, swiftly destroyed by the power of his weapons the many illusory stratagems repeatedly deployed by Śakuni, the son of Subala. The scene underscores that in war, cunning and delusion may be met—and ethically checked—by disciplined mastery and clear-sighted resolve rather than panic or moral compromise.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts deceptive ‘māyā’ with disciplined competence: steadiness, clarity, and rightful strength can neutralize trickery without being drawn into the same moral darkness. It affirms the ideal of dharma-yuddha where victory is sought through mastery and courage rather than fraud.
Sañjaya reports that Śakuni repeatedly employs various deceptive or illusory tactics on the battlefield, but Arjuna—confident and unshaken—quickly counters and destroys them using his astra-power.