Shloka 28
और्वोपाख्यानम्
Aurva Episode: Restoration of Sight and Restraint of World-Destructive Anger
मानुषानतिगन्धर्वान् सर्वान् गन्धर्व लक्षये | तस्मादस्त्रेण दिव्येन योत्स्येडहं न तु मायया,गन्धर्व! मैं जानता हूँ कि सम्पूर्ण गन्धर्व मनुष्योंसे अधिक शक्तिशाली होते हैं, इसलिये मैं तुम्हारे साथ मायासे नहीं, दिव्यास्त्रसे युद्ध करूँगा
mānuṣān atigandharvān sarvān gandharva lakṣaye | tasmād astreṇa divyena yotsye 'haṃ na tu māyayā, gandharva ||
Arjuna disse: “Ó Gandharva, reconheço que todos os Gandharvas superam os humanos em poder. Por isso lutarei contigo não por engano ou ilusão, mas com uma arma divina.”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arjuna frames combat as an ethical act: even against a stronger, semi-divine opponent, he chooses straightforward martial means (divine astras) rather than māyā (deceptive trickery), reflecting kṣatriya ideals of honor and regulated warfare.
In a confrontation with a Gandharva, Arjuna acknowledges the Gandharvas’ superior power over humans and declares his intention to engage them using celestial weapons, explicitly rejecting victory through illusion or deceit.