Shloka 183
Adhyāya 6: Śibira-dvāra-sthita Bhūta-varṇana and Aśvatthāmā’s Śaraṇāgati to Mahādeva
तप्त: कृपवाक्यमनुस्मरन् । अस्त्रहीन अश्वत्थामा यह अत्यन्त अद्भुत दृश्य देखकर कृपाचार्यके वचनोंको बारंबार स्मरण करता हुआ अत्यन्त संतप्त हो उठा और मन-ही-मन इस प्रकार कहने लगा --
taptaḥ kṛpavākyam anusmaran | astrahīnaḥ aśvatthāmā yaḥ atyanta-adbhuta-dṛśyaṃ dṛṣṭvā kṛpācāryasya vacanāni bāraṃbāraṃ smaran atyantaṃ santapto 'bhavat, manasā caivaṃ uvāca |
三阇耶说：阿湿婆他摩已无兵刃，心中焦灼如焚；目睹那极其惊异的景象后，他一遍又一遍忆起克利波阿阇梨之言。悔恨与内心煎熬压得他喘不过气来，他便对自己低语，仿佛在衡量将要行事的道德后果。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how moral counsel (Kṛpa’s words) continues to press upon the conscience even amid rage and defeat. Aśvatthāmā’s inner heat and repeated recollection suggest that ethical awareness persists, and that choices made in war are judged not only by victory but by dharmic consequence.
Sañjaya describes Aśvatthāmā after seeing a startling scene and finding himself without weapons. He is intensely distressed and keeps remembering Kṛpa’s counsel; then he begins an internal monologue, setting up the next action and revealing his psychological and ethical turmoil.