Shloka 39
Bhagadattā’s Deployment Against Ghaṭotkaca; Elephant-Corps Escalation
एतच्छुत्वा वचः क्रूरं पिता देवव्रतस्तव । दुर्योधनमिदं वाक्यमब्रवीत् साश्रुलोचन:,यह क्रूरतापूर्ण वचन सुनकर आपके ताऊ भीष्म अपने नेत्रोंसे आँसू बहाते हुए वहाँ दुर्योधनसे इस प्रकार बोले--
etac chrutvā vacaḥ krūraṁ pitā devavratas tava | duryodhanam idaṁ vākyam abravīt sāśrulocanaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Hearing those harsh and cruel words, your grandsire Devavrata (Bhīṣma), his eyes filled with tears, addressed Duryodhana with these words. The scene underscores the moral weight of speech in a time of war: even the foremost elder, bound by duty, is inwardly pained by the hardening of hearts that drives kin toward ruin.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Harsh speech is not morally neutral: it wounds relationships and accelerates adharma. The elder’s tears highlight that righteous counsel often comes with inner suffering when duty forces one to witness loved ones choosing destructive paths.
Sañjaya narrates that Bhīṣma (Devavrata), after hearing a cruel statement, turns to speak to Duryodhana. This verse functions as a transition: it frames Bhīṣma’s forthcoming words as emotionally charged counsel offered amid the escalating conflict.