Shloka 31

अश्वत्थाम-शापः, परिक्षिद्भविष्यत्, मणि-न्यासः

Aśvatthāman’s Curse, Parikṣit’s Future, and the Mani’s Restitution

Devanagari script

हतो दुर्योधन: पापो राज्यस्य परिपन्थिक: । दुःशासनस्य रुधिरं पीत॑ विस्फुरतो मया

Transliteration

hato duryodhanaḥ pāpo rājyasya paripanthi-kaḥ | duḥśāsanasya rudhiraṃ pītaṃ visphurato mayā ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ— “ଆମ ରାଜ୍ୟର ପଥରୋଧକ ସେ ପାପୀ ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନ ନିହତ ହୋଇଛି। ଏବଂ ଦୁଃଶାସନ ଛଟପଟାଉଥିବାବେଳେ ମୁଁ ତାହାର ରକ୍ତ ପାନ କରିଥିଲି। ଏହିପରି ଭାବେ ବୈରର ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ପ୍ରତିଶୋଧ ହୋଇଗଲା। ଏବେ କଥା କହିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛା କରୁଥିବାମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଆମକୁ ନିନ୍ଦା କରିପାରିବେ ନାହିଁ। ଦ୍ରୋଣପୁତ୍ର ଅଶ୍ୱତ୍ଥାମାକୁ ଜୟ କରି ମଧ୍ୟ, ସେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଓ ଗୁରୁପୁତ୍ର—ଏହି ଗୌରବରୁ ମାତ୍ର ଆମେ ତାକୁ ଜୀବନ୍ତ ଛାଡ଼ିଦେଲୁ।”

Word by Word

• हतः: slain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पापः: sinful, wicked
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राज्यस्य: of the kingdom
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• परिपन्थिकः: enemy, obstructer, highwayman
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिपन्थिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुःशासनस्य: of Duḥśāsana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःशासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रुधिरम्: blood
• रुधिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुधिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पीतम्: drunk
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पा (धातु) → पीत (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• विस्फुरतः: of (him) writhing/twitching
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्फुरत् (शतृ-कृदन्त; धातु: स्फुर्)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive/Ablative, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Duryodhana
• Duḥśāsana
• Aśvatthāman
• Droṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral tension between righteous retribution and excess: vengeance is claimed as ‘fulfilled,’ yet the imagery of drinking blood underscores how war can push even justified anger toward transgressive violence; simultaneously, sparing Aśvatthāman due to brāhmaṇa-status and guru-lineage shows dharma operating as a restraint even amid hatred.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (reported by Vaiśampāyana) declares that Duryodhana has been killed and that Duḥśāsana’s blood was drunk while he writhed—presented as repayment for past wrongs; the statement adds that Aśvatthāman, though defeated, was left alive out of respect for his being a brāhmaṇa and the son of Droṇa.