Shloka 22
Divyāstrāṇāṃ Pradarśana-nivāraṇa
Display of Divine Weapons and Its Prohibition
तस्य तद् वचन श्रुत्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना | मोहयिष्यन् दानवानामहं मायाबलं महत्,मातलिका यह वचन सुनकर मैंने स्वयं ही अपने-आपको सँभाला और दानवोंके उस महान् मायाबलका निवारण करते हुए भयभीत मातलिसे कहा--'सूत! आप डरें मत। स्थिरतापूर्वक रथपर बैठे रहें और देखें, मेरी इन भुजाओंमें कितना बल है? मेरे गाण्डीव धनुष तथा अस्त्रोंका कैसा प्रभाव है? आज मैं अपने अस्त्रोंकी मायासे इन दानवोंकी इस भयंकर माया तथा घोर अन्धकारका विनाश किये देता हूँ
tasya tad vacanaṁ śrutvā saṁstabhyātmānam ātmanā | mohayiṣyan dānavānām ahaṁ māyābalaṁ mahat, mātaliṁ ca bhayāvilam idam abravīt— “sūta! mā bhaiḥ. sthiratayā rathopari niṣīda paśya ca me bāhubalaṁ, gāṇḍīvasya ca dhanuṣo ’strāṇāṁ ca prabhāvam. adyaivāhaṁ svāstramāyayā dānavānāṁ ghorāṁ māyāṁ tathā ghoraṁ tamas ca vināśayiṣyāmi.”
Ao ouvir essas palavras, Arjuna firmou-se pela própria determinação. Pretendendo confundir o grande poder de ilusão dos Dānavas, disse ao amedrontado Mātali: “Auriga, não temas. Senta-te firme no carro e observa—quanta força há nestes meus braços, e que poder reside no arco Gāṇḍīva e nas minhas armas. Hoje, pela própria magia dos meus projéteis divinos, destruirei esta terrível ilusão dos Dānavas e a sombria escuridão que eles ergueram.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights inner steadiness (ātmānam ātmanā saṁstabhya) as the foundation of righteous action: fear is met first with self-control, then with skill and duty—protecting companions and confronting deception (māyā) with clarity and disciplined power.
Mātali, serving as charioteer, is frightened by the Dānavas’ terrifying illusion and darkness. Arjuna reassures him, commands him to remain steady on the chariot, and vows to counter the demonic māyā using the power of his Gāṇḍīva and divine astras.