Shloka 41
खूनसे भीगे हुए उस मस्तकके केश पकड़कर महाबाहु राक्षस घटोत्कच दुर्योधनके रथकी ओर चल दिया और पास जाकर मुसकराते हुए उसने विकराल मुख एवं केशवाले उस सिरको उसके रथपर फेंककर वर्षाकालके मेघकी भाँति भयंकर गर्जना की | ३८-- ४० || अब्रवीच्च ततो राजन् दुर्योधनमिदं वच: । एष ते निहतो बन्धुस्त्वया दृष्टोडस्य विक्रम:,राजन! तत्पश्चात् वह दुर्योधनसे इस प्रकार बोला--“यह है तेरा सहायक बन्धु, इसे मैंने मार डाला। तूने देख लिया न इसका पराक्रम?
sañjaya uvāca |
abravīc ca tato rājan duryodhanam idaṃ vacaḥ |
eṣa te nihato bandhūs tvayā dṛṣṭo 'sya vikramaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Lalu ia berkata kepada Raja Duryodhana: “Wahai Raja, inilah kerabat dan sekutumu—telah kubunuh. Engkau telah menyaksikan kegagahannya, bukan?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, victory is often asserted not only through force but through speech that targets honor and morale. It implicitly warns that pride and attachment to allies can be exploited, and that battlefield rhetoric can intensify adharma-like cruelty even when framed as kṣatriya conduct.
After a violent encounter, a warrior (as described in the surrounding prose) confronts Duryodhana and announces that Duryodhana’s ally/kinsman has been slain, adding that Duryodhana has now witnessed that person’s valor—spoken as a taunt and a display of dominance.