Shloka 6
Arjuna Confronted by Saindhava Forces during the Aśvamedha Circuit (श्वेतवाहनस्य सैन्धवसंघर्षः)
सम्प्रेष्यमाणो नागेन्द्रो वजदत्तेन धीमता । उत्पतिष्यन्निवाकाशमभिदुद्राव पाण्डवम्
sampreṣyamāṇo nāgendro vajradattena dhīmatā | utpatiṣyann ivākāśam abhidudrāva pāṇḍavam |
ബുദ്ധിമാനായ വജ്രദത്തൻ പ്രേരിപ്പിച്ചപ്പോൾ ആ ഗജേന്ദ്രൻ പാണ്ഡവൻ അർജുനന്റെ നേരെ, ആകാശത്തിലേക്ക് ചാടിപ്പറക്കാനെന്നപോലെ, നേരെ പാഞ്ഞെത്തി.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how immense strength (the elephant) becomes ethically significant only through intention and direction: power itself is neutral, but when guided by a person’s will it can serve dharma or be turned into aggression. It invites reflection on responsibility for the consequences of commanded force.
Vajradatta drives a mighty elephant forward; the elephant, seemingly ready to spring into the sky, charges directly at the Pāṇḍava hero Arjuna. The line intensifies the battle-like momentum and sets up Arjuna’s response to the onrushing threat.