Shloka 29
मुद्गलोपाख्यानम् — व्रीहिद्रोणदानं, दुर्वाससः परीक्षा, स्वर्गगुणप्रश्नः
Mudgala Episode: Rice-measure Charity, Durvāsas’ Test, Inquiry on Heaven
संजहारास्त्रमथ तत् प्रसृष्टं पाण्डवर्षभ: । दृष्टवा तु पाण्डवा: सर्वे संह्ृतास्त्रं धनंजयम्
sañjahārāstram atha tat prasṛṣṭaṃ pāṇḍavarṣabhaḥ | dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavāḥ sarve saṃhṛtāstraṃ dhanaṃjayam ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Maka “lembu jantan” antara para Pāṇḍava itu pun menarik balik senjata yang telah dilepaskannya. Melihat Dhanaṃjaya menahan diri dan memanggil pulang peluru senjata itu, semua Pāṇḍava memerhati—menginsafi bahawa dalam penguasaan diri itulah terletak keunggulan etika yang menghalang kuasa daripada menjadi semata-mata kemusnahan.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power must be governed by restraint: even a rightful warrior should be able to stop a destructive force once its purpose is served, showing mastery over anger and over the instruments of violence.
Arjuna (Dhanaṃjaya), described as the foremost of the Pāṇḍavas, recalls a divine weapon he had already discharged; the other Pāṇḍavas witness this act of controlled withdrawal.