Shloka 27
अध्याय ५८ — वानरध्वजस्य महेन्द्रास्त्रप्रयोगः
Chapter 58: Arjuna’s Deployment of the Indra-Weapon
अभिवाद्य महाबाहु: सामपूर्वमिदं वच: । उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा कौन्तेय: परवीरहा
abhivādya mahābāhuḥ sāmapūrvam idaṃ vacaḥ | uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā kaunteyaḥ paravīrahā || vīrau tāv abhisarambdhau saṃnikṛṣṭī mahābhujau | chādayetāṃ śaravrātair anyonyam aparājitau ||
Disse Vaiśampāyana: Tendo primeiro oferecido respeitosas saudações, o filho de Kuntī, de braços poderosos—matador de heróis inimigos—proferiu estas palavras em tom suave e conciliador. Então os dois heróis, ambos de grandes braços e agora inflamados de ira, aproximaram-se e cobriram-se mutuamente com saraivadas de flechas, cada qual buscando eclipsar o outro; contudo, nenhum dava sinal de ser vencido.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid conflict, the text juxtaposes sāma (conciliation) and ślakṣṇa-vāk (gentle speech) with the surge of krodha (anger) that drives violence. It implicitly warns that courteous intent can be overwhelmed once wrath escalates, underscoring the ethical value of self-restraint and timely de-escalation.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that the Kaunteya first addresses the situation with respectful salutations and gentle, conciliatory words. Immediately afterward, the two heroes close distance and engage in intense archery, each covering the other with volleys of arrows, with neither gaining a decisive advantage.