Shloka 30
Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness
Nivātakavaca engagement
यदाभिभवितु बाणैर्न च शक्नोमि तं रणे । ततो महास्त्रमातिष्ठं वायव्यं भरतर्षभ
arjuna uvāca | yadābhibhavituṃ bāṇair na ca śaknomi taṃ raṇe | tato mahāstram ātiṣṭhaṃ vāyavyaṃ bharatarṣabha ||
阿周那说道：“当我在战斗中即使以箭雨压制，也仍不能降伏他时，噢婆罗多族之雄，我便施展了大神兵——伐由威耶阿斯特拉（风之神矢）。”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a warrior’s discernment in battle: when ordinary means (arrows) fail against an extraordinary opponent, one may escalate to a higher, specialized power (astra). It also implies responsibility—great weapons are used not casually but when necessity arises in a righteous contest.
Arjuna narrates that despite showering arrows he could not overpower his adversary in the fight. Therefore he employed the powerful Vāyavya astra, invoking the force of the Wind to gain advantage.