Shloka 52
अध्याय ५८ — वानरध्वजस्य महेन्द्रास्त्रप्रयोगः
Chapter 58: Arjuna’s Deployment of the Indra-Weapon
ऐन्द्रं वायव्यमाग्नेयमस्त्रमस्त्रेण पाण्डव: । द्रोणेन मुक्तमात्र तु ग्रसति सम पुनः पुनः:
aīndraṁ vāyvyaṁ āgneyaṁ astram astreṇa pāṇḍavaḥ | droṇena muktamātraṁ tu grasati sma punaḥ punaḥ ||
ऐन्द्रं वायव्यमाग्नेयं चास्त्रं द्रोणेन मुक्तमात्रं पाण्डवोऽर्जुनः प्रत्यस्त्रेण सम्यक् प्रत्यवरोधयद् भूयः भूयः।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid combat, excellence is shown through restraint and right method: Arjuna does not answer force with uncontrolled violence, but with appropriate countermeasures, reflecting disciplined knowledge and ethical self-command.
Droṇa releases powerful celestial missiles—Aindra, Vāyvya, and Āgneya—yet Arjuna repeatedly nullifies them with counter-astras, effectively ‘swallowing’ each weapon as soon as it is launched.