Shloka 38
सौबलस्य वर्ध॑ प्रेप्सुरिदं वचनमत्रवीत् । क्रोधसंरक्तनयनो नि:श्वसन्निव पन्नग:
saubalasya vadhaṁ prepsur idaṁ vacanam abravīt | krodha-saṁrakta-nayano niḥśvasann iva pannagaḥ |
ସୌବଲପୁତ୍ର ଶକୁନିଙ୍କ ବଧ ଆକାଂକ୍ଷାରେ ସେ ଏହି କଥା କହିଲେ; କ୍ରୋଧରେ ତାଙ୍କ ନୟନ ରକ୍ତିମ ହୋଇଥିଲା, ଏବଂ ସର୍ପ ପରି ଫୁଁଫୁଁ କରି ଭାରି ନିଶ୍ୱାସ ଛାଡ଼ୁଥିଲେ।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can seize even a righteous warrior-mind, pushing it toward immediate vengeance. In the dice-hall’s moral collapse, the text underscores the ethical danger of wrath: it narrows judgment, intensifies hostility, and accelerates violence—thereby worsening adharma rather than restoring dharma.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that a Pandava (contextually Sahadeva in many recensions and commentarial traditions) becomes intensely enraged and, intent on killing Śakuni (called Saubala), begins to speak. His serpent-like heaving breath and reddened eyes mark a turning point where the humiliation and deceit of the assembly provoke a vow-like urge for retribution.