Shloka 152
वासवी-शक्तेः प्रयोगः, घटोत्कच-वधोत्तर-शोकः, व्यासोपदेशश्च
The Vāsavī Spear’s Use, Post-Ghaṭotkaca Grief, and Vyāsa’s Counsel
जैसे प्रलयकालमें संवर्तक अग्नि समस्त प्राणियोंको दग्ध कर देती है, उसी प्रकार राक्षसोंकी उस सेनाका संहार करके युद्धस्थलमें अश्वत्थामाकी बड़ी शोभा हुई ।। त॑ दहन्तमनीकानि शरैराशीविषोपमै: । तेषु राजसहस्रेषु पाण्डवेयेषु भारत,भरतनन्दन! युद्धस्थलमें पाण्डवपक्षके सहस्रों राजाओंमेंसे वीर महाबली राक्षसराज घटोत्कचको छोड़कर दूसरा कोई भी विषधर सर्पोके समान भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा पाण्डवोंकी सेनाओंको दग्ध करते हुए अश्वत्थामाकी ओर देख न सका
sañjaya uvāca | yathā pralayakāle saṃvartako 'gniḥ samastaprāṇino dagdhvā nayati, tathā rākṣasānāṃ tāṃ senāṃ saṃhṛtya yuddhasthale 'śvatthāmanaḥ mahān śobhā samajāyata || taṃ dahantam anīkāni śarair āśīviṣopamaiḥ | teṣu rājasahasreṣu pāṇḍaveyeṣu bhārata, bharatanandana! yuddhasthale pāṇḍavapakṣasya sahasreṣu rājñāṃ madhye vīro mahābalī rākṣasarājo ghaṭotkacaṃ vihāya anyaḥ kaścid api viṣadharasarpopamair bhīṣaṇaiḥ śaraiḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ senāṃ dahantam aśvatthāmānaṃ prati dṛṣṭiṃ na cakāra ||
यथा प्रलयकाले संवर्तकोऽग्निः सर्वप्राणिनो दहति, तथा राक्षसानीकं निहत्य रणभूमौऽश्वत्थामाऽतिशोभत । तं दहन्तमनीकानि शरैराशीविषोपमैः । तेषु राजसहस्रेषु पाण्डवेयेषु भारत, नैनं निरीक्षितुं कश्चिदशक्नोद् ऋते घटोत्कचात् ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, sheer martial force can become ‘apocalyptic’—overwhelming ordinary courage and judgment. Ethically, it points to the tragic escalation of violence: when combat turns into annihilation, only extraordinary power can resist it, and even righteous armies can be psychologically broken.
Sanjaya describes Ashvatthama’s battlefield dominance after he destroys a rakshasa host. He is depicted as scorching formations with serpent-like arrows, and among the many kings on the Pandava side, only Ghatotkacha is able to face him; the rest cannot even look at him directly.