Shloka 41
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
अक्कुद्धबत महाकायो भैमसेनिर्घटोत्कच: । अश्वत्थामाके धनुषसे छूटे हुए बाणोंद्वारा घायल हो उन राक्षसोंको भागते देख विशालकाय भीमसेनकुमार घटोत्कच कुपित हो उठा || ४० है ।। प्रादुश्षक्रे ततो मायां घोररूपां सुदारुणाम्
akkruddhabat mahākāyo bhaimasenir ghaṭotkacaḥ | aśvatthāmake dhanuṣaś ca chūṭe hue bāṇair dvārā ghāyala ho una rākṣasān ko bhāgate dekh viśālakāya bhīmasenakumāra ghaṭotkacaḥ kupito ho uṭhā || prāduścakre tato māyāṃ ghorarūpāṃ sudāruṇām ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing those rākṣasas fleeing after being wounded by the arrows released from Aśvatthāmā’s bow, the विशाल-bodied Ghaṭotkaca—son of Bhīmasena—flared up in anger. Then he manifested a dreadful and exceedingly fierce illusion (māyā).
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger in battle quickly escalates conflict: when Ghaṭotkaca sees his rākṣasa allies wounded and retreating, he responds not with restraint but by unleashing māyā—showing how krodha can drive one toward harsher, more destabilizing means, raising ethical tension about proportionality and the use of deceptive power in war.
Aśvatthāmā’s arrows have wounded certain rākṣasas, who begin to flee. Ghaṭotkaca, Bhīma’s gigantic rākṣasa son, becomes enraged at this sight and then produces a terrifying magical illusion (māyā), intensifying the battle’s danger and confusion.