अड्गुष्ठमात्रो भूत्वा च पुनरेव स राक्षस:
aṅguṣṭhamātro bhūtvā ca punareva sa rākṣasaḥ
サンジャヤは言った。その羅刹は親指ほどの大きさとなり、そして再び己の姿を取り戻した。
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights how deceptive power and shape-shifting can be used to gain advantage in war, raising a dharmic tension: victory pursued through illusion and stealth often signals moral danger and the erosion of straightforward kṣatriya conduct.
Sañjaya reports that a rākṣasa temporarily reduces himself to a thumb-sized form and then returns to his previous form, implying a tactical transformation—likely to evade notice, infiltrate, or strike unexpectedly.