Shloka 29
अध्याय ८८ — घटोत्कच-दुर्योधनयुद्धवर्णनम्
Ghaṭotkaca–Duryodhana Engagement
तस्थौ च तत्रैव महाधनुष्मान्- शरैस्तदस्त्रं प्रतिबाधमान: । अथाददे वारुणमन्यदस्त्रं शिखण्ड्यथोग्रं प्रतिघातमस्य
sañjaya uvāca |
tasthau ca tatraiva mahādhanuṣmān śarais tad astraṃ pratibādhamānaḥ |
athādade vāruṇam anyad astraṃ śikhaṇḍy athograṃ pratighātam asya ||
ಮಹಾಧನುರ್ಧರನಾದ ಆ ವೀರನು ತನ್ನ ಬಾಣಗಳಿಂದ ಆ ಅಸ್ತ್ರವನ್ನು ತಡೆದು ಅಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಅಚಲವಾಗಿ ನಿಂತನು. ನಂತರ ಶಿಖಂಡಿಯು ಆ ದಾಳಿಗೆ ಪ್ರತಿಘಾತವಾಗುವ ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಭಯಂಕರ ವಾರುಣಾಸ್ತ್ರವನ್ನು ಕೈಗೆತ್ತಿಕೊಂಡನು।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, power must be governed by discernment: the verse highlights controlled counteraction—neutralizing an attack before escalating—raising the ethical question of proportionality and responsibility in deploying astras.
A great archer holds his position and blocks an incoming astra with arrows; then Śikhaṇḍī responds by taking up the fierce Vāruṇa weapon as a counter to the opponent’s missile.