Shloka 63
अश्वमेधीयस्य हयस्य दक्षिणापश्चिमगमनम् — The Sacrificial Horse’s Southern and Western Circuit
न्यवर्तन्त महाराज शरवर्षार्जिता भृशम् | महाराज! अर्जुनकी मार खाकर उनके बाणोंकी वर्षसे पीड़ित हुए गान्धार सैनिक उस घोड़ेको छोड़कर बड़े वेगसे पीछे लौट गये
nyavartanta mahārāja śaravarṣārjitā bhṛśam |
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ໂອ ພຣະມະຫາກະສັດ! ຖືກຟັນຟາດຢ່າງໜັກ ແລະຖືກກົດທັບດ້ວຍຝົນລູກສອນອັນດຸເດືອດ ທະຫານການດາຣະ—ຫຼັງຈາກຮັບຄວາມພ່າຍແພ້ຈາກອາຈຸນ—ໄດ້ປະຖິ້ມມ້າບູຊາຍັດ ແລະຖອຍກັບໄປດ້ວຍຄວາມໄວ. ພາບນີ້ຊູ້ງໃຫ້ເຫັນວ່າ ກຳລັງທີ່ໃຊ້ເພື່ອຮັບໃຊ້ພິທີອັນປະຕິຍານໄວ້ ສາມາດບັງຄັບໃຫ້ແມ່ນແຕ່ນັກຮົບຜູ້ຫຍິ່ງຍະໂສ ຕ້ອງຖອຍເມື່ອຄວາມຮຸກຮານຂອງພວກເຂົາຖືກສະກັດກັ້ນ.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma in action: when a royal vow and sacrificial rite (Aśvamedha) is challenged, the appointed protector uses measured martial force to uphold the rite; those who act aggressively and are decisively checked must withdraw, illustrating the ethical boundary between rightful defense and futile violence.
Arjuna confronts the Gāndhāra forces who have seized or obstructed the Aśvamedha horse. Under his intense arrow-shower, they are badly hurt, abandon the horse, and retreat rapidly.