Shloka 26
Adhyāya 61: Saṃmohana-astra and the Kuru Withdrawal (संमोहनास्त्रं तथा कुरुनिवृत्तिः)
अहमिन्द्राद् दृढां मुष्टिं ब्रह्मण: कृतहस्तताम् | प्रगाढे तुमुलं चित्रमिति विद्धि प्रजापते:
aham indrād dṛḍhāṁ muṣṭiṁ brahmaṇaḥ kṛta-hastatām | pragāḍhe tumulaṁ citram iti viddhi prajāpateḥ ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「これを知れ。弓を取るとき拳を固く保つことはインドラより学び、矢を放つときの鍛えられた俊敏さと手の妙はブラフマーより学び、そして危急のただ中で、喧騒のごとく激しく、変化に富み、驚くべき策をもって戦う術はプラジャーパティより学んだ。ゆえに戦の技は単なる暴力ではなく、高き範に導かれた規律ある修練なのである。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Excellence in warfare is portrayed as disciplined, learned skill: steadiness (firm grip), practiced dexterity (trained hand in archery), and adaptive strategy in crisis. Power is implied to be ethically meaningful only when governed by training and higher principles, not by impulse.
The speaker (reported by Vaiśampāyana) explains the sources of his martial abilities, attributing specific aspects of archery and battle-craft to divine exemplars—Indra, Brahmā, and Prajāpati—thereby emphasizing legitimacy, training, and preparedness for intense conflict.