Shloka 16

Devanagari script

भीमसेनस्तु सत्रीडमुपेत्य द्रोणमाहवे । अश्वत्थामा हत इति शब्दमुच्चैश्न॒कार ह,उसे मारकर भीमसेन लजाते-लजाते युद्धस्थलमें द्रोणाचार्यके पास गये और बड़े जोरसे बोले--'अश्व॒त्थामा मारा गया

Transliteration

bhīmasenas tu satrīḍam upetya droṇam āhave | aśvatthāmā hata iti śabdam uccaiḥ cakāra ha ||

Translation

قال سَنْجَيا: «ثم إنَّ بِهيماسينَة، وقد بدا عليه التردّدُ والخجلُ، اقترب من دْرُونا في ساحة القتال ورفع صوته قائلاً: “قُتِلَ أشْوَتْثَامَا!”—وهي كلمةٌ محسوبةٌ لزعزعة عزيمة دْرُونا واستغلال تعلّقه الأبويّ، تحت وطأة الضغوط الأخلاقية للحرب.»

Word by Word

भीमसेनःBhimasena

तुbut/indeed

सत्रीडम्the (battle-)ground/arena (reading uncertain)

उपेत्यhaving approached

द्रोणम्Drona

आहवेin battle

अश्वत्थामाAshvatthama

हतःkilled/slain

इतिthus/quoting

शब्दम्a sound/cry

उच्चैःloudly

चकारmade/uttered

हindeed (particle)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

Aśvatthāman

battlefield (āhava)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical strain of war: even righteous aims can lead to morally ambiguous tactics. It foregrounds the tension between truthfulness and strategic necessity, and shows how attachment (Droṇa’s love for his son) can become a vulnerability that others may exploit, raising questions about dharma under extreme circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma approaches Droṇa in the midst of battle and loudly announces that “Aśvatthāmā has been slain.” The proclamation is intended to unsettle Droṇa by suggesting his son is dead, thereby weakening Droṇa’s fighting spirit and influencing the course of the battle.