Shloka 31
अश्वत्थाम-शापः, परिक्षिद्भविष्यत्, मणि-न्यासः
Aśvatthāman’s Curse, Parikṣit’s Future, and the Mani’s Restitution
हतो दुर्योधन: पापो राज्यस्य परिपन्थिक: । दुःशासनस्य रुधिरं पीत॑ विस्फुरतो मया
hato duryodhanaḥ pāpo rājyasya paripanthi-kaḥ | duḥśāsanasya rudhiraṃ pītaṃ visphurato mayā ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Napatay na ang makasalanang si Duryodhana—kaaway at hadlang sa aming kaharian. At habang si Duḥśāsana ay namimilipit at nag-aagaw-buhay, ininom ko ang kanyang dugo. Kaya ganap nang nabayaran ang paghihiganti. Ngayon, ang sinumang nais magsalita ay hindi na makapupuna sa amin. Nang mapagtagumpayan namin si Aśvatthāman, anak ni Droṇa, iniligtas namin ang kanyang buhay dahil lamang siya’y isang brāhmaṇa at anak ng aming guro.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.