Mahabharata 4.65.1 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 65, Shloka 1
विराटसभायां पाण्डवानां प्रवेशः — Arjuna’s Encomium of Yudhiṣṭhira in Virāṭa’s Court
वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! जब भीष्मजी युद्धका मुहाना छोड़कर दूर हट गये
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
āhūyamānaś ca sa tena saṅkhye mahātmanā vai dhṛtarāṣṭraputraḥ |
nivartitas tasya girāṅkuśena mahāgajo matta ivāṅkuśena ||
ไวศัมปายนะกล่าวว่า—ในศึกนั้น แม้มหาตมะผู้นั้นจะท้าทายซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า บุตรแห่งธฤตราษฏระก็ถูกสกัดให้ถอยกลับด้วยวาจาอันประหนึ่งอังกุศ—ดุจช้างใหญ่กำลังตกมันถูกตะขอควบคุมไว้
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that arrogance and aggression can be restrained not only by physical force but also by the moral authority of fearless speech; a righteous, steady-minded hero can check a proud opponent as effectively as a goad controls a raging elephant.
During the cattle-raid episode in the Virāṭa context, Duryodhana (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son), though challenged in battle by the great-souled warrior (contextually Arjuna), is forced to recoil—his advance halted by the opponent’s commanding words, likened to an elephant in musth being restrained by an elephant-hook.
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