Shloka 183
तप्त: कृपवाक्यमनुस्मरन् । अस्त्रहीन अश्वत्थामा यह अत्यन्त अद्भुत दृश्य देखकर कृपाचार्यके वचनोंको बारंबार स्मरण करता हुआ अत्यन्त संतप्त हो उठा और मन-ही-मन इस प्रकार कहने लगा --
taptaḥ kṛpavākyam anusmaran | astrahīnaḥ aśvatthāmā yaḥ atyanta-adbhuta-dṛśyaṃ dṛṣṭvā kṛpācāryasya vacanāni bāraṃbāraṃ smaran atyantaṃ santapto 'bhavat, manasā caivaṃ uvāca |
Sañjaya dijo: Desarmado y ardiendo de angustia, Aśvatthāmā—tras presenciar una visión extraordinariamente asombrosa—no dejaba de recordar una y otra vez las palabras del ācārya Kṛpa. Abrumado por el remordimiento y el tormento interior, comenzó a hablarse a sí mismo, como quien sopesa la consecuencia moral de lo que estaba a punto de hacer.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how moral counsel (Kṛpa’s words) continues to press upon the conscience even amid rage and defeat. Aśvatthāmā’s inner heat and repeated recollection suggest that ethical awareness persists, and that choices made in war are judged not only by victory but by dharmic consequence.
Sañjaya describes Aśvatthāmā after seeing a startling scene and finding himself without weapons. He is intensely distressed and keeps remembering Kṛpa’s counsel; then he begins an internal monologue, setting up the next action and revealing his psychological and ethical turmoil.