Shloka 8
पाण्डवपरिचयः—विराटसभायां प्रकाशनम्
Identification of the Pāṇḍavas in Virāṭa’s Court
ततोअस्त्रमस्त्रेण निवार्य तेषां गाण्डीवधन्वा कुरुपुड्रवानाम् | सम्मोहन शत्रुसहो <न्यदस्त्रं प्रादुश्षकारैन्द्रिरपारणीयम्
tato 'stram astreṇa nivārya teṣāṃ gāṇḍīvadhanvā kurupuṇḍravānām | sammohaṇaṃ śatru-saho 'nyad astraṃ prāduścakāra aindrir apāraṇīyam ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: Kemudian Arjuna, pemegang Gāṇḍīva dan putera Indra—yang mampu menahan gelora serbuan musuh—menangkis senjata para pahlawan terunggul antara Kurus dan Puṇḍras dengan senjatanya sendiri. Setelah mengekang serangan mereka, dia menzahirkan satu lagi peluru sakti, senjata ‘Sammohana’ (Khayalan/Delusi), suatu daya yang tiada siapa mampu menangkisnya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined strength: true martial excellence includes the capacity to neutralize violence and subdue opponents through controlled, superior means rather than uncontrolled destruction. Power is ethically framed as restraint and mastery.
Arjuna counters and nullifies the incoming weapons of leading warriors among the Kurus and Puṇḍras using his own weaponry, then deploys the Sammohana (Delusion) Astra—described as impossible to counter—thereby overwhelming the opposing force.