Shloka 44
कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः
Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative
उन्मत्ताश्न विचेष्टन्ते नष्टसंज्ञा विचेतस:
unmattāś ca viceṣṭante naṣṭasaṃjñā vicetasaḥ
ഈ അസ്ത്രങ്ങളുടെ പ്രയോഗഫലമായി ചിലർ ഉന്മത്തരായി ഭ്രാന്തന്മാരെപ്പോലെ പെരുമാറുന്നു; പലർക്കും ബോധവും വിവേകവും നഷ്ടമായി അവർ അചേതനരാകുന്നു।
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grave, dehumanizing consequences of weaponry: violence does not merely wound bodies but can shatter consciousness and dignity, raising an ethical warning about the use of destructive means.
Rāma describes the observable effects produced when certain astras are employed—people become delirious, lose awareness, fall asleep, convulse or behave erratically, and suffer involuntary bodily reactions—illustrating the terrifying power of such weapons.