Shloka 68
संजय उवाच तच्छुत्वा द्रोणपुत्रस्तु निधनं पितुराहवे । क्रोधमाहारयत् तीव्रं पदाहत इवोरग:,संजय कहते हैं--राजन! युद्धमें इस प्रकार पिताके मारे जानेका वृत्तान्त सुनकर द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामा पैरोंसे ठुकराये हुए सर्पके समान अत्यन्त कुपित हो उठा
sañjaya uvāca tac chrutvā droṇaputras tu nidhanaṃ pitur āhave | krodham āhārayat tīvraṃ padāhata ivoragaḥ ||
Sanjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, mendengar bahwa ayahnya telah gugur di medan perang, putra Drona, Aśvatthāmā, diliputi amarah yang dahsyat—laksana ular yang terinjak—membara untuk menuntut balas.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how grief and shock can rapidly harden into uncontrolled anger, especially in war, where ethical boundaries are already strained; it warns that wrath, once aroused, tends to seek retaliation rather than discernment.
Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Aśvatthāmā, upon hearing of his father Droṇa’s death in the battle, becomes intensely enraged, compared to a serpent that has been trampled and is ready to strike back.