Shloka 35
Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)
तेन वज्रेण भगवान् मन्त्रयुक्तेन भारत । भृशं क्रोधविसूष्टेन ब्रह्मतेजोद्धवेन च
tena vajreṇa bhagavān mantrayuktena bhārata | bhṛśaṃ krodhavisūṣṭena brahmatejoddhavena ca ||
Vaiśampāyana said: O Bhārata, with that thunderbolt—empowered by sacred incantations— the divine one struck with overwhelming force, driven by fierce wrath and uplifted by the blazing potency of brahman. The verse underscores how, in the war’s climax, destructive power is portrayed as intensified not only by weaponry but also by mantra and spiritual energy, raising ethical tension about the fusion of sacred force with anger.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a morally charged conjunction: immense martial force becomes even more formidable when fused with mantra and brahma-tejas, yet it is simultaneously propelled by anger. It invites reflection on how sacred or spiritual power, when yoked to wrath, can magnify destruction and intensify the ethical stakes of action in war.
In the course of the battle narrative, a divine or highly exalted figure is described as striking powerfully with a vajra-like weapon. The blow is characterized as mantra-empowered and strengthened by brahmanic radiance, while also being driven by fierce anger—signaling a climactic, overwhelming act of violence.