Shloka 43
Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance
तमापततन्तं वेगेन शक्राशनिसमझ्युतिम् । द्विधा चिच्छेद संक्रुद्धो द्रोणि: परमकोपन:
tam āpatatantaṁ vegena śakrāśani-samadyutim | dvidhā ciccheda saṁkruddho droṇiḥ paramakopanaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing that missile rushing toward him with great speed, blazing like Indra’s thunderbolt, Droṇi’s son (Aśvatthāmā)—inflamed with anger and fierce in wrath—cut it into two.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how martial excellence can be intensified by anger: swift, decisive action may succeed tactically, yet it also shows the ethical danger of wrath dominating judgment in war.
A blazing, fast-approaching missile likened to Indra’s thunderbolt comes toward Aśvatthāmā; in fury he counters it by cutting it into two mid-flight.