Shloka 73

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः

Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थामा महावीर्य: शत्रुपक्षभयावह: । वीर: कमलपत्राक्ष: क्षितावासीन्नराधिप,भारत! उनके यहाँ महादेव, यम, काम और क्रोधके सम्मिलित अंशसे शत्रुसंतापी शूरवीर अश्वत्थामाका जन्म हुआ, जो इस पृथ्वीपर महापराक्रमी और शत्रुपक्षका संहार करनेवाला वीर था। राजन! उसके नेत्र कमलदलके समान विशाल थे

Transliteration

aśvatthāmā mahāvīryaḥ śatrupakṣabhayāvahaḥ | vīraḥ kamalapatrākṣaḥ kṣitāvāsīn narādhipa ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: Aśvatthāmā era de grande poder, terror do exército inimigo. Herói de olhos como pétalas de lótus, viveu sobre esta terra, ó rei—forte em valor e apto a esmagar as forças adversas.

Word by Word

अश्वत्थामाAshvatthaman

महावीर्यःof great prowess

शत्रुपक्षभयावहःbringing fear to the enemy side

वीरःhero, warrior

कमलपत्राक्षःlotus-petal-eyed (having eyes like lotus petals)

क्षितौon the earth

अवासीdwelt, lived

नराधिपO king (lord of men)

भारतO Bharata (descendant of Bharata)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Aśvatthāmā

Narādhipa (the king addressed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how extraordinary martial power can inspire awe and fear; in the broader context of Aśvatthāmā’s origin (linked with forces like wrath), it also hints that strength without restraint can become ethically dangerous.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing Aśvatthāmā’s formidable nature—great valor, fearsome to enemies, and marked by lotus-like eyes—within a genealogical/character-introduction passage in the Ādi Parva.