Shloka 40
भीमसेन-धृष्टद्युम्नयोर्वाक्यं
Bhīmasena and Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s Speeches on Kṣātra-Dharma
तथा तु समरे विद्ृध्वा राक्षसेन्द्रं घटोत्कचम् । ननाद सुमहानादं द्रोणपुत्रो महारथ:
tathā tu samare viddhvā rākṣasendraṃ ghaṭotkacam | nanāda sumahānādaṃ droṇaputro mahārathaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then, in the midst of battle, having struck Ghaṭotkaca—the lord of the Rākṣasas—Droṇa’s son, the great chariot-warrior, let out a thunderous roar. The cry signals both martial resolve and the hardening of the conflict, where prowess and fury surge while the moral weight of violence continues to accumulate on the field.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield mindset: after landing a decisive blow, a warrior’s roar asserts dominance and rallies morale. Ethically, it also underscores how war amplifies pride and aggression, reminding readers that martial success often comes intertwined with intensifying violence and its moral consequences.
Sañjaya reports that Aśvatthāman (Droṇa’s son), having struck Ghaṭotkaca—described as the Rākṣasa-lord—utters a tremendous roar in the thick of combat, marking a moment of heightened confrontation between major champions.