Shloka 183
Adhyāya 6: Śibira-dvāra-sthita Bhūta-varṇana and Aśvatthāmā’s Śaraṇāgati to Mahādeva
तप्त: कृपवाक्यमनुस्मरन् । अस्त्रहीन अश्वत्थामा यह अत्यन्त अद्भुत दृश्य देखकर कृपाचार्यके वचनोंको बारंबार स्मरण करता हुआ अत्यन्त संतप्त हो उठा और मन-ही-मन इस प्रकार कहने लगा --
taptaḥ kṛpavākyam anusmaran | astrahīnaḥ aśvatthāmā yaḥ atyanta-adbhuta-dṛśyaṃ dṛṣṭvā kṛpācāryasya vacanāni bāraṃbāraṃ smaran atyantaṃ santapto 'bhavat, manasā caivaṃ uvāca |
Sañjaya berkata: Tanpa senjata dan terbakar oleh derita, Aśvatthāmā—setelah menyaksikan pemandangan yang amat menakjubkan—terus-menerus mengingati kata-kata Ācārya Kṛpa. Dihimpit sesal dan siksaan batin, dia mula berkata-kata kepada dirinya sendiri, seolah-olah menimbang akibat moral atas apa yang bakal dilakukannya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how moral counsel (Kṛpa’s words) continues to press upon the conscience even amid rage and defeat. Aśvatthāmā’s inner heat and repeated recollection suggest that ethical awareness persists, and that choices made in war are judged not only by victory but by dharmic consequence.
Sañjaya describes Aśvatthāmā after seeing a startling scene and finding himself without weapons. He is intensely distressed and keeps remembering Kṛpa’s counsel; then he begins an internal monologue, setting up the next action and revealing his psychological and ethical turmoil.