Shloka 18
लक्ष्मणं निहतं दृष्टवा हाहेत्युच्चुक्रुशुर्जना: । ततो दुर्योधन: क्रुद्धः प्रिये पुत्रे निपातिते
lakṣmaṇaṁ nihataṁ dṛṣṭvā hāhety uccukruśur janāḥ | tato duryodhanaḥ kruddhaḥ priye putre nipātite ||
Sañjaya sprach: Als man Lakṣmaṇa erschlagen sah, riefen die Menschen: „Weh! Weh!“ Da geriet Duryodhana, erzürnt über den Sturz seines geliebten Sohnes, in eine von Trauer genährte Wut—ein Gefühl, das im Krieg die Menschen oft vom Urteil abbringt und sie zu weiterer Gewalt treibt.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how attachment (to a beloved son) intensifies grief into anger, and how such anger can eclipse discernment in the midst of war—showing the ethical danger of letting personal loss dictate violent action.
After Lakṣmaṇa is seen slain, the assembled people cry out in lamentation. Duryodhana, hearing/seeing this and realizing his dear son has fallen, becomes furious, setting the stage for retaliatory resolve and escalation.