Shloka 163
Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
केशेष्वालभ्य पाणि भ्यां निष्पिपेष महीतले । अब वह शगय्यासे उठनेकी चेष्टा करने लगा। इतनेहीमें महाबली अभ्वत्थामाने दोनों हाथसे उसके बाल पकड़कर पृथ्वीपर पटक दिया और वहाँ अच्छी तरह रगड़ा
keśeṣv ālabhya pāṇibhyāṃ niṣpipeṣa mahītale |
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അശ്വത്ഥാമാവ് ഇരുകൈകളാലും അവന്റെ മുടി പിടിച്ച് ഭൂമിയിലേക്കെറിഞ്ഞു; അവിടെത്തന്നെ ഞെരിച്ചമർത്തി.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in the collapse of moral restraint after catastrophic war, vengeance can drive acts that violate the spirit of dharma. It serves as a cautionary depiction of cruelty and excess when anger replaces ethical discernment.
Sañjaya describes Aśvatthāmā physically overpowering an opponent: he grabs the person by the hair with both hands, throws him to the ground, and crushes him there—an image of ruthless domination during the Sauptika night violence.