Shloka 57
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
दर्शयेम च रूपाणि स्वशरीरे बहुन्यपि । न तु पर्यायतः सिद्धिर्बुद्धिमाप्रोति मानुषीम्
darśayema ca rūpāṇi svaśarīre bahūny api | na tu paryāyataḥ siddhir buddhim āpnoti mānuṣīm ||
三阇耶说道：“我们甚至能在自身之中显现多种形相而示人。然而这般层层炫示，既不能成就我等所欲之事，也不能使敌人堕入仅属凡人的盘算——陷于恐惧与迷乱。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Mere exhibition of extraordinary power—such as manifesting many forms—does not by itself secure one’s objective. Ethical and strategic success depends on achieving the intended end through effective means, not on spectacle; likewise, a worthy opponent may not be shaken into ordinary human fear by displays alone.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and assessments, Sañjaya reports a statement emphasizing that even if one can demonstrate wondrous transformations, such demonstrations do not necessarily bring about the desired result or intimidate the adversary into human-level fear.