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 |
毗湿摩波耶那说：“它如大云倾泻，喷涌着发情的象油；乃能遏制敌方战象之象。依兵法典籍之规制备战，尽在主人驾驭之下，然而在战阵狂烈之中，却凶猛难当。”
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.