सो5तिविद्धो महेष्वासो नानालिड्रैरमर्षण: । युयुधानेन वै द्रौणि: प्रहसन् वाक्यमब्रवीत्,जब युयुधानने नाना प्रकारके चिह्लोंवाले बाणोंद्वारा महाधनुर्धर अश्वत्थामाको अत्यन्त घायल कर दिया, तब उसने अमर्षमें भरकर उनसे हँसते हुए कहा--
so 'tividdho maheṣvāso nānāliṅgair amarṣaṇaḥ | yuyudhānena vai drauṇiḥ prahasan vākyam abravīt ||
Sañjaya dit : Bien que cruellement transpercé, le grand archer Aśvatthāmā—fils de Droṇa—ne souffrait aucune offense. Frappé par Yuyudhāna de flèches portant maints signes distinctifs, empli de courroux, il rit et lui adressa ces paroles.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights a kṣatriya ideal: even when grievously wounded, a warrior maintains outward composure and answers challenge with resolve. It also shows how anger (amarṣa) can coexist with controlled, strategic speech—an ethical tension between honor-driven restraint and the escalation of violence.
During the battle, Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki) strikes Aśvatthāmā with many marked arrows, wounding him severely. Aśvatthāmā, enraged yet laughing in defiance, addresses Yuyudhāna—setting up a verbal challenge and the next phase of their combat.