Shloka 36
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
ततः: संतापिता लोका मत्प्रसूतेन तेजसा । क्षणेन हि दिश: खं च सर्वतो हि विदीपितम्,तदनन्तर मेरे द्वारा प्रकट किये हुए ब्रह्मास्त्रके तेजसे वहाँके सब लोग संतप्त हो उठे। एक ही क्षणमें सम्पूर्ण दिशाएँ और आकाश सब ओरसे आगकी लपटोंसे उद्दीप्त हो उठे
tataḥ santāpitā lokā matprasūtena tejasā | kṣaṇena hi diśaḥ khaṃ ca sarvato hi vidīpitam |
Arjuna said: “Then the people there were scorched by the blazing energy that had issued forth from me. In a single instant, all the directions and the sky were lit up on every side, as if tongues of fire had flared everywhere.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of extraordinary power: when unleashed, it can cause widespread suffering beyond the intended target. It implicitly points to the need for restraint, discernment, and responsibility in the use of force.
Arjuna describes the immediate aftermath of a terrible radiance/energy released by him: people are scorched, and the entire horizon—directions and sky—appears suddenly ablaze on all sides, conveying the overwhelming, uncontrollable impact of such force.