Shloka 546
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
मूर्तिमन्मे स्थित पारश्वे प्रसन्ने गोवृषध्वजे । इस प्रकार भगवान् वृषभध्वजके प्रसन्न होनेपर सम्पूर्ण अस्त्रोंका निवारण करनेवाला और कहीं भी कुण्ठित न होनेवाला दिव्य पाशुपतास्त्र मूर्तिमान् हो मेरे पास आकर खड़ा हो गया
Arjuna uvāca: mūrtimān me sthita-pārśve prasanne govṛṣa-dhvajé |
अर्जुन उवाच—मूर्तिमन्मे स्थितं पार्श्वे प्रसन्ने गोवृषध्वजे। एवं भगवति वृषभध्वजे प्रसन्ने सर्वास्त्रनिवारणं सर्वत्राकुण्ठितं दिव्यं पाशुपतास्त्रं मूर्तिमद् भूत्वा मम पार्श्वे समुपस्थितम्।
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Extraordinary power is legitimate only when aligned with dharma and received through humility, discipline, and divine sanction; the Pāśupata weapon symbolizes force that must be governed by restraint and ethical responsibility.
After Śiva (the bull-bannered Lord) is pleased with Arjuna, the divine Pāśupatāstra manifests in tangible form and stands by Arjuna, signifying that he has been granted an unfailing, all-countering weapon.