Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.175.39 - Adi Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 39
पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्
The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara
विश्वामित्रकी सेनापर नन्दिनीका कोप तैर्विसृष्टेमहासैन्यैर्नानाम्लेच्छगणैस्तदा । नानावरणसंच्छन्नैर्नानायुधधरैस्तथा
viśvāmitrakī senāpar nandinyāḥ kopa-tair visṛṣṭaiḥ mahā-sainyaiḥ nānā-mleccha-gaṇaiḥ tadā | nānā-varaṇa-saṃchannair nānāyudha-dharaiḥ tathā |
तदा विश्वामित्रस्य सेनां प्रति नन्दिनीकृतकोपविसृष्टैः नानाम्लेच्छगणैर्महासैन्यैः समन्तात् समभ्यपतत्। ते नानावरणसञ्च्छन्ना नानायुधधराश्च, विश्वामित्रस्य पश्यतः तां सेनां व्याकुलां चकारुः प्रससारयामासुश्च; तस्यैकैकं सैनिकं पञ्चभिः सप्तभिर्वा म्लेच्छयोधैः परिवृतमभवत्।
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage contrasts brute military force with the superior, dharma-aligned power that protects the righteous: when aggression is driven by desire and anger, it can be overturned by a higher moral-spiritual authority. It also warns that wrath (kopa), once unleashed, multiplies conflict and leads to humiliation and defeat.
Nandinī, Vasiṣṭha’s divine cow, manifests (or releases) immense forces—described as various Mleccha bands—equipped with armour and weapons. These troops overwhelm and scatter Viśvāmitra’s army before his eyes, surrounding individual soldiers in groups and breaking the formation.
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