Shloka 203
वासवी-शक्तेः प्रयोगः, घटोत्कच-वधोत्तर-शोकः, व्यासोपदेशश्च
The Vāsavī Spear’s Use, Post-Ghaṭotkaca Grief, and Vyāsa’s Counsel
प्रवृत्ती शरसम्पातं कर्तु पुरुषसत्तमौ | “यदि तुम उपर्युक्त बातें कहकर भी युद्ध छोड़कर भाग जाओगे तभी मेरे हाथसे छुटकारा पा सकोगे।” परस्पर ऐसा कहकर क्रोधसे लाल आँखें किये उन दोनों नरश्रेष्ठ वीरोंने एक-दूसरेपर बाणोंकी वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी
sañjaya uvāca | pravṛttī śarasampātaṃ kartuṃ puruṣasattamau | yadi tvaṃ uparyuktāḥ kathāḥ uktvāpi yuddhaṃ tyaktvā palāyase tadā eva mama hastāt mucyase iti | parasparaṃ evam uktvā krodhena lohitākṣau tau ubhau narśreṣṭha-vīrau anyonyam prati bāṇavarṣaṃ prārabhetām |
Sañjaya said: The two foremost of men set about unleashing a torrent of arrows. In anger, with eyes reddened, they said to one another, “Only if, even after these words, you abandon the battle and flee will you escape from my hands.” Thus those two best of warriors began to shower arrows upon each other.
सयजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger and pride in a warrior’s code can transform speech into provocation, driving combatants to intensify violence rather than seek restraint; ethical reflection lies in recognizing krodha as a force that narrows judgment in war.
Sañjaya describes two eminent warriors challenging each other—claiming the other can escape only by abandoning the fight—and then, with reddened eyes in anger, they begin a mutual barrage of arrows.