Shloka 2
अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa
Chapter 161
ततः परमसंक्रुद्धः सिंहो मत्तमिव द्विपम् । प्रेक्षत: कुरुराजस्य द्रौणि: कर्ण समभ्ययात्
tataḥ parama-saṅkruddhaḥ siṃho mattam iva dvipam | prekṣataḥ kuru-rājasya drauṇiḥ karṇam abhyayāt ||
Sañjaya said: Then, inflamed with extreme wrath, Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman) advanced upon Karṇa—like a lion rushing at a maddened elephant—while the Kuru king looked on.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how unchecked anger (krodha) can drive even great warriors into escalating violence, especially when sanctioned or witnessed by power. It invites reflection on restraint and responsibility: royal oversight does not automatically ensure ethical conduct, and personal fury can overtake discernment in war.
Sañjaya describes Aśvatthāman, burning with rage, moving to engage Karṇa in combat. The comparison to a lion charging a maddened elephant emphasizes the ferocity and high stakes of the encounter, occurring under the gaze of the Kuru king (Duryodhana).