Shloka 22
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
तब मैंने धनुष तथा अक्षय तरकस लेकर एक बाणके द्वारा उस रोमांचकारी सूकरपर आघात किया ।।
arjuna uvāca | tadāhaṃ dhanuṣā cākṣaya-tuṇīraṃ gṛhītvā ekena bāṇena taṃ romaharṣaṇaṃ sūkaraṃ jaghāna | yugapat taṃ kirātas tu vikṛṣya balavad dhanuḥ abhyājaghne dṛḍhataraṃ kampayann iva me manaḥ ||
Arjuna disse: “Então tomei o meu arco e a minha aljava inesgotável e atingi aquele javali arrepiador com uma única flecha. No mesmo instante, o Kirāta, retesando por completo o seu arco poderoso, também o feriu com um golpe ainda mais firme—de tal modo que meu coração pareceu tremer.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a great hero’s prowess is tested to curb pride and refine discernment; the episode underscores that true strength must be joined with humility and respect for dharma, especially when the divine may appear in ordinary guise.
Arjuna shoots a fearsome boar with a single arrow, but at the same instant a Kirāta hunter also strikes it powerfully. The simultaneous hit sets up a dispute over rightful claim and becomes the turning point of Arjuna’s encounter with Śiva in disguise.