Shloka 31
कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke
तस्यार्जुन: सुसंक्रुद्धस्त्रिभिबाणै: शरासनम् । चिच्छेद चान्यदादत्त द्रौणिर्घोरतरं धनु:
tasyārjunaḥ susaṃkruddhas tribhir bāṇaiḥ śarāsanam | ciccheda cānyad ādatta drauṇir ghorataraṃ dhanuḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Arjuna, enflammé d’une colère farouche, trancha d’un trait de trois flèches l’arc d’Aśvatthāman. Mais le fils de Droṇa saisit aussitôt un autre arc, plus redoutable encore, et se tint prêt à poursuivre le combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger in warfare tends to intensify conflict: a tactical success (cutting the enemy’s bow) does not end hostility, because resolve and pride quickly replace loss with renewed force. It implicitly warns that victory in battle is not only about striking but also about mastering wrath and anticipating escalation.
During the Kurukṣetra fighting in Karṇa Parva, Arjuna, enraged, severs Aśvatthāman’s bow with three arrows. Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi), undeterred, immediately takes up another, more formidable bow to continue the combat.