Shloka 216
Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance
चक्रे विमुखमासाद्य मयं शक्र इवाहवे । जैसे इन्द्र युद्धस्थलमें मयासुरको विमुख कर देते हैं, उसी प्रकार सुभद्राकुमार अभिमन्युने रणक्षेत्रमें मुकी हुई गाँठवाले बाणोंद्वारा मारकर उस राक्षसको युद्धसे विमुख कर दिया
cakre vimukham āsādya mayaṁ śakra ivāhave |
Sañjaya disse: Ao enfrentar Maya, ele o obrigou a voltar-se e recuar—assim como Indra (Śakra), em batalha, faz o demônio Maya bater em retirada. Desse modo Abhimanyu, filho de Subhadrā, atingiu aquele rākṣasa com flechas de nós e o expulsou do combate, afirmando o valor e a disciplina do campo de batalha ao quebrar a vontade do inimigo, e não apenas ao buscar o morticínio.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma expressed as controlled valor: a warrior’s excellence is shown by decisively neutralizing an opponent’s threat—here by forcing retreat—mirroring the divine standard exemplified by Indra.
Sañjaya reports that Abhimanyu confronts Maya and, likened to Indra facing Maya in battle, strikes him so effectively (traditionally with knotted arrows) that the rākṣasa turns away and withdraws from combat.