Shloka 83
अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa
Chapter 161
मातुलेनैवमुक्तस्तु द्रौणि: शस्त्रभूतां वर: । दुर्योधनमिदं वाक््यं त्वरित: समभाषत,मामाके ऐसा कहनेपर शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ द्रोणकुमार अश्वत्थामाने तुरतं ही दुर्योधनके पास जाकर इस प्रकार कहा--
mātulenaitam uktas tu drauṇiḥ śastrabhūtāṁ varaḥ | duryodhanam idaṁ vākyaṁ tvaritaḥ samabhāṣata ||
Sañjaya said: Thus addressed by his maternal uncle, Aśvatthāmā—the son of Droṇa, foremost among those who bear arms—hurried to Duryodhana and spoke these words.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how advice from close relations can trigger immediate action in a wartime setting; it implicitly raises the ethical tension between swift loyalty-driven response and the need for measured judgment (dharma) amid conflict.
After being spoken to by his maternal uncle, Aśvatthāmā quickly goes to Duryodhana and begins to address him—this verse functions as a narrative bridge introducing Aśvatthāmā’s forthcoming speech or proposal.