Shloka 89
को हि शस्त्रविदां मुख्यो महेश्वरसमो युधि । शत्रुं न क्षपयेच्छक्तो यो न स्थाद् गौतमीसुत:,कृपीकुमार अश्व॒त्थामाके सिवा दूसरा कौन ऐसा वीर है, जो श्त्रवेत्ताओंमें प्रधान, महादेवजीके समान पराक्रमी तथा शक्तिशाली होकर भी युद्धमें शत्रुका संहार नहीं करेगा
ko hi śastravidāṁ mukhyo maheśvara-samo yudhi | śatruṁ na kṣapayet śakto yo na sthād gautamī-sutaḥ kṛpī-kumāra aśvatthāmā ||
Duryodhana sprach: „Wer unter den Meistern der Waffen—im Kampf mächtig wie Maheśvara selbst—würde, obwohl er die Kraft dazu hat, davon abstehen, den Feind zu vernichten? Niemand anders als Aśvatthāmā, der Sohn der Kṛpī, geboren aus Gautamī.“
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how martial excellence and power, when framed by wartime intent, are expected to culminate in the destruction of enemies; it also shows how leaders use praise and divine comparison (to Śiva) to justify and intensify violent resolve.
Duryodhana is urging confidence in his side by extolling Aśvatthāmā as the foremost weapon-master, likening him to Śiva in battle, and asserting that someone so capable would certainly annihilate the enemy.