केशान् नियम्य यत्नेन नि:श्वसन्नुरगो यथा । संरम्भाश्रुपरीताभ्यां नेत्राभ्यामभिवीक्ष्य माम्
keśān niyamya yatnena niḥśvasann urago yathā | saṃrambhāśruparītābhyāṃ netrābhyām abhivīkṣya mām ||
Sañjaya berkata: Dengan susah payah ia menahan rambutnya, dan sambil terengah-engah bagaikan ular, ia menatapku dengan mata yang tergenang air mata akibat gejolak amarah dan gundah yang dahsyat.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the ethical tension between inner turmoil and outward restraint: even amid war-born rage and grief, a person may struggle to control bodily signs (here, hair and breath), revealing how powerful emotions can overwhelm composure while still being partially governed by will.
Sañjaya describes a figure (contextually, someone reacting to catastrophic war news) who, panting like a serpent and with tear-filled eyes from intense agitation, turns his gaze toward Sañjaya—signaling a moment of charged emotion before speech or action.