Shloka 90
वासवी-शक्तेः प्रयोगः, घटोत्कच-वधोत्तर-शोकः, व्यासोपदेशश्च
The Vāsavī Spear’s Use, Post-Ghaṭotkaca Grief, and Vyāsa’s Counsel
अथ दृष्ट्वा हत॑ पुत्रमश्चत्थाम्ना महाबलम्
atha dṛṣṭvā hataṁ putram aśvatthāmnā mahābalam
Sañjaya said: Then, seeing his son slain by the mighty Aśvatthāmā, the scene turned toward the bitter consequences of vengeance in war—where grief swiftly hardens into further violence and the moral order (dharma) is strained by retaliatory acts.
सयजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The line highlights how the shock of a loved one’s death in war becomes a catalyst for escalation. It implicitly warns that grief, when fused with retaliation, can push actions beyond dharma and deepen collective suffering.
Sañjaya narrates a turning point: someone witnesses his son lying slain, and the killer is identified as the powerful Aśvatthāmā. This observation sets up the next reactions—lament, anger, and likely further violent response.