Shloka 10
वज्रदत्तेन सह अर्जुनयुद्धम्
Arjuna’s engagement with Vajradatta during the Aśvamedha circuit
विक्षरन्तं महामेघं परवारणवारणम् । शास्त्रवत् कल्पितं संख्ये विवशं युद्धदुर्मदम्
vikṣarantaṁ mahāmeghaṁ paravāraṇavāraṇam | śāstravat kalpitaṁ saṅkhye vivaśaṁ yuddhadurmadam |
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Tila isang malaking ulap na bumubuhos, nagbubuga ng likidong dulot ng rut; isang elepanteng kayang humarang sa mga elepante ng kaaway. Inihanda ito para sa digmaan ayon sa mga tuntunin ng mga kasulatan ng sining-pandigma; lubos itong nasa kapangyarihan ng amo, ngunit sa bangis ng labanan ay kakila-kilabot at mahirap salagin.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in warfare, power is ideally governed by śāstra and discipline: the elephant’s might is immense and fearsome, yet it is portrayed as properly trained and obedient—suggesting that force, to be dharmically acceptable, must be regulated rather than reckless.
The narrator describes a war-elephant: it is compared to a rain-bearing cloud for its overwhelming, ‘pouring’ force; it can hold back the enemy’s elephants; it has been prepared according to prescribed military methods; and it is both controllable by its master and terrifying in combat.