Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 19 — Saṃśaptaka–Trigarta Assault and Aindra-astra Counter
तमनतकमिव क्रुद्धमन्तकस्यान्तकोपमम् । ये ये ददृशिरे तत्र विसंज्ञा: प्रायशो5भवन्
tam antakam iva kruddham antakasyāntakopamam | ye ye dadṛśire tatra visaṃjñāḥ prāyaśo 'bhavan ||
सञ्जय उवाच—तमनतकमिव क्रुद्धमन्तकस्यान्तकोपमम्। ये ये ददृशिरे तत्र विसंज्ञाः प्रायशोऽभवन्॥
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights how uncontrolled anger can make a warrior appear as an embodiment of death, spreading panic and moral darkness around him. It implicitly warns that wrath, when ungoverned by dharma and restraint, becomes a destructive force that overwhelms both enemies and onlookers.
Sañjaya describes Aśvatthāmā on the battlefield in a state of intense rage. His presence is so terrifying—likened to Death itself—that most who see him lose consciousness, indicating the extreme dread and chaos his fury generates.