Shloka 16
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 54 — Missile-Exchange and Tactical Redirection
Arjuna, Aśvatthāman, Karṇa
सुवर्णकार्ष्णायसवर्मनद्धा नागा यथा हैमवता: प्रवृद्धा: तथा स शत्रून् समरे विनिध्नन् गाण्डीवधन्वा पुरुषप्रवीर:
suvarṇakārṣṇāyasavarmanaddhā nāgā yathā haimavatāḥ pravṛddhāḥ tathā sa śatrūn samare vinighnan gāṇḍīvadhanvā puruṣapravīraḥ
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Nakabaluti ng baluting yari sa ginto at maitim na bakal, na tulad ng malalakas na nāga na lumaki sa Himalaya, si Arjuna—ang pangunahing lalaki, tagapagdala ng busog na Gāṇḍīva—ay nagbagsak sa kanyang mga kaaway sa gitna ng sagupaan.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights controlled strength in righteous combat: a warrior’s power, protected by preparedness (armour) and guided by purpose, is to be applied decisively against foes in battle as part of kṣatriya-duty, not as uncontrolled violence.
The narrator describes Arjuna in battle: clad in strong armour of gold and dark iron, he is compared to powerful Himalayan serpents, and he is depicted striking down enemies with his famed bow, the Gāṇḍīva.