Shloka 75
वासवी-शक्तेः प्रयोगः, घटोत्कच-वधोत्तर-शोकः, व्यासोपदेशश्च
The Vāsavī Spear’s Use, Post-Ghaṭotkaca Grief, and Vyāsa’s Counsel
अश्वत्थामा तु संक़रुद्धो लघुहस्त: प्रतापवान्
aśvatthāmā tu saṅkruddho laghuhastaḥ pratāpavān
Sañjaya said: Aśvatthāmā, however, enraged and swift-handed, stood forth in his might—his prowess rising with wrath amid the pressures of battle.
सयजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can intensify one’s outward power and speed, yet it also signals a dangerous moral and strategic turning point: prowess driven by wrath tends to escalate violence and cloud discernment, raising ethical stakes in war.
Sañjaya describes Aśvatthāmā’s state on the battlefield: he is provoked into fierce anger and is characterized as quick in execution and formidable in strength, indicating an imminent surge of aggressive action.