Shloka 18
द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १६२: प्रातःसंध्यायां युद्धप्रवृत्तिः तथा रजोमेघे संमूढता
अभ्यवर्तत युद्धाय त्रासयन् सर्वधन्विन: । चिकीर्षुस्तव पुत्राणां प्रियं प्राणभूतां वर:,आपके पुत्र दुर्योधनसे ऐसा कहकर महाबाहु अश्वत्थामा समस्त धनुर्धरोंको त्रास देता हुआ युद्धके लिये शत्रुओंके सामने डट गया। प्राणियोंमें श्रेष्ठ अश्वत्थामा आपके पुत्रोंका प्रिय करना चाहता था
abhyavartata yuddhāya trāsayan sarva-dhanvinaḥ | cikīrṣus tava putrāṇāṃ priyaṃ prāṇa-bhūtāṃ varaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Aśvatthāmā maju menuju pertempuran, membuat gentar semua pemanah. Ia, yang terbaik di antara para kesatria dan semahal nyawa bagi putra-putramu, hendak melakukan apa yang menyenangkan mereka.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the warrior ethic where loyalty and the desire to please one’s allies can powerfully motivate action in war; it also hints at an ethical tension—personal devotion (priya-kāma) can intensify violence and intimidation, raising questions about how duty and attachment interact on the battlefield.
After addressing Duryodhana, Aśvatthāmā steps forward to fight, frightening the opposing archers and taking a firm stand before the enemy. Sañjaya frames him as a foremost warrior who is ‘dear as life’ to the Kaurava princes and is acting to fulfill what would please them.