Shloka 61
वासवी-शक्तेः प्रयोगः, घटोत्कच-वधोत्तर-शोकः, व्यासोपदेशश्च
The Vāsavī Spear’s Use, Post-Ghaṭotkaca Grief, and Vyāsa’s Counsel
अष्टचक्रसमायुक्तमास्थाय विपुलं रथम् | शूलमुद्गरधारिण्या शैलपादपहस्तया
aṣṭacakrasamāyuktam āsthāya vipulaṁ ratham | śūlamudgaradhāriṇyā śailapādapahastayā
サञ्जयは語った。「八つの車輪を備えた広大なる戦車に乗り、彼女は進み出た。槍と棍棒を携え、足は岩の断崖のごとく、手は石のように打ち据える。これらの描写は戦場の道義的緊張をいっそう高める。ここでの戦は人の争いにとどまらず、恐るべき、ほとんど元素の力にも似たものとの対決であり、混沌のただ中で勇気と自制、そしてダルマへの不動の堅持を試すのである。」
सयजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war magnifies encounters with overwhelming force; the ethical challenge is to maintain courage and discernment without losing one’s grounding in dharma, even when faced with terrifying, dehumanizing violence.
Sañjaya describes a formidable female figure (unnamed in this half-verse) mounting a huge eight-wheeled chariot, armed with spear and mace, portrayed with rock-like feet and crushing hands—an intensification of the battle’s dread and grandeur.