Shloka 50
अश्वृत्थामेति विख्यातो गज: शक्रगजोपम: । निहतो युधि विक्रम्य ततो*हं द्रोणमब्रुवम्,वे दोनों इस प्रकार बातें कर ही रहे थे कि भीमसेन बोल उठे--“महाराज! महामना द्रोणके वधका ऐसा उपाय सुनकर मैंने आपकी सेनामें विचरनेवाले मालवनरेश इन्द्रवर्माके अश्वत्थामानामसे विख्यात गजराजको, जो ऐरावतके समान शक्तिशाली था, युद्धमें पराक्रम करके मार डाला। फिर द्रोणाचार्यके पास जाकर कहा--'ब्रह्मन्! अश्व॒त्थामा मारा गया, अब युद्धसे निवृत्त हो जाइये।” परंतु इन पुरुषप्रवर द्रोणने निश्चय ही मेरी बातपर विश्वास नहीं किया है
aśvatthāmeti vikhyāto gajaḥ śakragajopamaḥ | nihato yudhi vikramya tato 'haṃ droṇam abruvam |
Sañjaya said: “A mighty elephant, famed by the name ‘Aśvatthāman’ and comparable to Indra’s elephant, was slain in battle after a display of valor. Then I went to Droṇa and said: ‘O Brahmin, Aśvatthāman has been killed; now withdraw from the fight.’” The line carries the ethical tension of wartime speech: a statement crafted to break Droṇa’s resolve by exploiting a name shared with his son, blurring truth and deception for strategic ends.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral strain of war: even when words are technically true (an elephant named Aśvatthāman is killed), they can be deployed to mislead and manipulate. It raises questions about dharma under extreme necessity—whether strategic deception can ever be justified, and what inner cost it carries.
A powerful elephant known as ‘Aśvatthāman’ is killed. Using this fact, the speaker approaches Droṇa and declares ‘Aśvatthāman is slain,’ intending Droṇa to understand it as the death of his son and thereby lose the will to fight.