Shloka 29
अध्याय ८८ — घटोत्कच-दुर्योधनयुद्धवर्णनम्
Ghaṭotkaca–Duryodhana Engagement
तस्थौ च तत्रैव महाधनुष्मान्- शरैस्तदस्त्रं प्रतिबाधमान: । अथाददे वारुणमन्यदस्त्रं शिखण्ड्यथोग्रं प्रतिघातमस्य
sañjaya uvāca |
tasthau ca tatraiva mahādhanuṣmān śarais tad astraṃ pratibādhamānaḥ |
athādade vāruṇam anyad astraṃ śikhaṇḍy athograṃ pratighātam asya ||
三阇耶说道：那位强弓之士就立于原地，以箭矢遏止那兵器。继而尸佉ṇḍī又执起另一可怖的神兵——伐楼那之器（Vāruṇa-astra）——用以克制并反击那次攻势。此景昭示战争无情的法则：以度量对度量、以反制对反制；而在暴力层层升级之际，对阿斯特拉的技艺与节制，便成了道义上的重压之点。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, power must be governed by discernment: the verse highlights controlled counteraction—neutralizing an attack before escalating—raising the ethical question of proportionality and responsibility in deploying astras.
A great archer holds his position and blocks an incoming astra with arrows; then Śikhaṇḍī responds by taking up the fierce Vāruṇa weapon as a counter to the opponent’s missile.