Shloka 28
अश्वत्थामा महाभाग: कृतवर्मा च सात्वत:
aśvatthāmā mahābhāgaḥ kṛtavarmā ca sātvatāḥ
Sañjaya berkata: Di sana ada Aśvatthāmā yang termasyhur, dan Kṛtavarmā dari wangsa Sātvata—tokoh-tokoh utama dalam babak pascaperang, ketika kesetiaan pribadi dan sisa bayang-bayang kekerasan terus membentuk pilihan serta akibatnya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Though the line is primarily identificatory, it points to a recurring Mahābhārata ethical concern: eminent warriors, bound by allegiance and past vows, continue to drive events even after decisive battles—showing how choices made in war generate moral and practical consequences that persist beyond the battlefield.
Sañjaya names Aśvatthāmā and Kṛtavarmā (a Sātvata/Yādava) as present/active figures in the episode being recounted in Śalya Parva, setting up their role in the subsequent actions and decisions in the war’s late-stage developments.