Shloka 393

Devanagari script

चुकोप समरे द्रौणिर्दण्डाहत इवोरग: । महारथी सुरथको क्रोधपूर्वक आक्रमण करते देख अश्वत्थामा समरमें डंडेकी चोट खाये हुए सर्पके समान अत्यन्त कुपित हो उठा

Transliteration

cukopa samare drauṇir daṇḍāhata ivoragaḥ | mahārathī surathako krodhapūrvakam ākramaṇaṃ karte dekh aśvatthāmā samareṃ daṇḍe kī coṭ khāye hue sarpa ke samān atyanta kupita ho uṭhā |

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ମହାରଥୀ ସୁରଥଙ୍କୁ କ୍ରୋଧପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଆକ୍ରମଣ କରୁଥିବା ଦେଖି ଦ୍ରୌଣି ଅଶ୍ୱତ୍ଥାମା ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଦଣ୍ଡାଘାତ ପାଇଥିବା ସର୍ପ ପରି ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ କୁପିତ ହୋଇଉଠିଲେ।

Word by Word

• चुकोप: became angry
• Type: Verb
• Root: कुप् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• द्रौणिः: Drauni (Ashvatthama, son of Drona)
• द्रौणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दण्डाहतः: struck by a staff
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्ड-आहत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• उरगः: a serpent
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi)
• Droṇa
• Surathaka
• serpent (uraga)
• staff/rod (daṇḍa)
• battlefield (samara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can rapidly intensify conflict: once provoked, a warrior’s mind may become reactive like a wounded serpent. Ethically, it warns that wrath-driven action narrows discernment and can push warfare toward excess, even when framed within kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Surathaka, an elite chariot-warrior, launches a furious attack. Witnessing this, Aśvatthāmā (Droṇa’s son) becomes violently enraged in the battle, compared to a serpent struck by a staff—signaling imminent, fierce retaliation.