Shloka 29
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
अर्णुर्ब॑हच्छिरा भूत्वा बृहच्चाणुशिरा: पुन: । एकीभूतस्तदा राजन् सो<भ्यवर्तत मां युधि,कभी उसका शरीर तो बहुत छोटा हो जाता, परंतु मस्तक बहुत बड़ा दिखायी देता था। फिर वह विशाल शरीर धारण कर लेता और मस्तक बहुत छोटा बना लेता था। राजन! अन्तमें वह एक ही रूपमें प्रकट होकर युद्धमें मेरा सामना करने लगा। भरतर्षभ! जब मैं बाणोंकी वर्षा करके भी युद्धमें उसे परास्त न कर सका, तब मैंने महान् वायव्यास्त्रका प्रयोग किया
arṇur bahacchirā bhūtvā bṛhaccāṇuśirāḥ punaḥ | ekībhūtastadā rājan so 'bhyavartata māṃ yudhi |
Arjuna said: “O King, he would at times become a being with a very small body but an enormous head; then again he would assume a vast body while his head appeared tiny. Finally, gathering himself into a single, unified form, he advanced against me in battle.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights steadiness and discernment in conflict: even when an adversary changes form and creates confusion, a warrior must keep composure, assess the situation clearly, and respond with appropriate means rather than panic.
Arjuna reports to a king that his opponent repeatedly altered proportions—sometimes tiny-bodied with a huge head, sometimes huge-bodied with a tiny head—before finally consolidating into a single form and directly engaging Arjuna in battle.