Shloka 98
Kārttikeya-Abhiṣecana: Mātṛgaṇa-Nāma Saṃkīrtana and Skanda’s Commission
महाभुजा हस्वभुजा हस्वगात्राश्व॒ वामना: । कुब्जाश्न॒ हस्वजड्घाश्न हस्तिकर्णशिरोधरा:
mahābhujā hrasvabhujā hrasvagātrāś ca vāmanāḥ | kubjāś ca hrasvajaṅghāś ca hastikarṇaśirodharāḥ ||
وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—کچھ کے بازو نہایت عظیم تھے اور کچھ کے بہت چھوٹے۔ کچھ چھوٹے چھوٹے اعضا والے بونے تھے؛ کچھ کبڑے تھے؛ کچھ کی رانیں بہت چھوٹی تھیں؛ اور کچھ ہاتھی جیسے کان اور سر رکھتے تھے۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse cautions against judging by appearance: the war narrative includes beings of many strange and imperfect forms, implying that external shape is not a reliable indicator of virtue, capacity, or adherence to dharma.
Vaiśampāyana is describing a group present in the war context, listing their varied and abnormal physical features—mighty-armed, short-armed, dwarfish, hunchbacked, short-legged, and even elephant-eared or elephant-headed—heightening the ominous atmosphere around the conflict.