Shloka 43
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 19 — Saṃśaptaka–Trigarta Assault and Aindra-astra Counter
मणिप्रवेकोत्तमवज्रहाटकै- रलंकृत चांशुकमाल्यमौक्तिकै: । हतो हतो$सीत्यसकृन्मुदा नदन् पराहनद् द्रौणिवराज़भूषणम्,उस तोमरद्वारा उन्होंने उत्तम मणि, श्रेष्ठ हीरक, स्वर्ण, वस्त्र, माला और मुक्तासे विभूषित अश्व॒त्थामाके मुकुटपर बारंबार यह कहते हुए प्रसन्नतापूर्वक आघात किया कि “तुम मारे गये, मारे गये”
maṇipravarokttamavajrahāṭakaiḥ alaṅkṛtaṁ cāṁśukamālyamauktikaiḥ | hato hato'sīty asakṛn mudā nadan parāhanad drauṇivarāja-bhūṣaṇam ||
Sañjaya said: Adorned with excellent gems, the finest diamonds, and gold—together with silken cloth, garlands, and pearls—Aśvatthāmā’s splendid crown was struck again and again with a spear, while the assailant cried out joyfully, “You are slain! You are slain!” The scene underscores the moral dissonance of exultation in violence: in the frenzy of battle, triumph is proclaimed even before certainty, and cruelty is amplified by delight.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical fault that can arise in war: taking joy in harming an opponent and proclaiming victory with glee. Even within kṣatriya warfare, exultation in violence and premature claims of killing reflect loss of restraint and compassion, showing how battle can distort judgment and character.
Sañjaya describes a combat moment in which Aśvatthāmā’s richly ornamented crown is repeatedly struck with a spear, while the attacker shouts joyfully, “You are slain, you are slain!” The focus is on the repeated blows and the triumphant, taunting cry amid the chaos of battle.