Shloka 1
अश्वत्थाम-शापः, परिक्षिद्भविष्यत्, मणि-न्यासः
Aśvatthāman’s Curse, Parikṣit’s Future, and the Mani’s Restitution
ऑपन-माज बछ। डे घोडशो< ध्याय: श्रीकृष्णसे शाप पाकर अश्वत्थामाका वनको प्रस्थान तथा पाण्डवोंका मणि देकर द्रौपदीको शान्त करना वैशम्पायन उवाच तदाज्ञाय हृषीकेशो विसृष्टं पापकर्मणा । हृष्यमाण इदं वाक्य द्रौणिं प्रत्यब्रवीत्तदा
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tadājñāya hṛṣīkeśo visṛṣṭaṃ pāpakarmaṇā | hṛṣyamāṇa idaṃ vākyaṃ drauṇiṃ pratyabravīt tadā ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: أيها الملك، لما علم هṛṣīkeśa (كريشنا) أنّ الفعل الآثم قد أُطلق—إذ إنّ أشفَتّھاما قد أرسل سلاحه—شعر برضا صارم، لأن الجريمة قد انكشفت وصارت موضع مساءلة. ثم، وهو مسرورٌ بتلك المعرفة، خاطب ابن درونا (أشفَتّھاما) بهذه الكلمات.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, certain acts are intrinsically adharma—especially violence aimed at the helpless or the unborn. The verse frames Aśvatthāmā’s act as pāpa (sinful), implying moral accountability; Kṛṣṇa’s response signals that such wrongdoing will be confronted and judged, not excused as ‘battle necessity’.
After the night massacre, Aśvatthāmā releases a destructive weapon (astra) in a sinful manner. Kṛṣṇa (Hṛṣīkeśa), learning of this release, turns to address Aśvatthāmā directly—setting up the ensuing confrontation, condemnation, and the demand for restitution (notably the jewel/maṇi in the broader episode).