अथ दृष्ट्वा हतं पुत्रम् अश्वत्थाम्ना महाबलम् ॥
द्रौणेः सकाशम् अभ्येत्य रोषात् प्रचलिताङ्गदः ॥
प्राह वाक्यम् असंभ्रान्तो वीरं शारद्वतीसुतम् ॥
दहन्तं पाण्डवानीकं वनम् अग्निम् इवोद्धतम् ॥
तिष्ठ तिष्ठ न मे जीवन् द्रोणपुत्र गमिष्यसि ॥
त्वाम् अद्य निहनिष्यामि क्रौञ्चम् अग्निसुतो यथा ॥
अश्वत्थामोवाच
गच्छ वत्स सहान्यैस् त्वं युध्यस्वामरविक्रम ॥
न हि पुत्रेण हैडिम्बे पिता न्याय्यं प्रबाधितुम् ॥
कामं खलु न मे रोषो हैडिम्बे विद्यते त्वयि ॥
किं तु रोषान्वितो जन्तुर् हन्याद् आत्मानम् अप्य् उत ॥
atha dṛṣṭvā hataṃ putram aśvatthāmnā mahābalam ||
drauṇeḥ sakāśam abhyetya roṣāt pracalitāṅgadaḥ ||
prāha vākyam asaṃbhrānto vīraṃ śāradvatīsutam ||
dahantaṃ pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vanam agnim ivoddhatam ||
tiṣṭha tiṣṭha na me jīvan droṇaputra gamiṣyasi ||
tvām adya nihaniṣyāmi krauñcam agnisuto yathā ||
aśvatthāmovāca
gaccha vatsa sahānyais tvaṃ yudhyasvāmaravikrama ||
na hi putreṇa haiḍimbe pitā nyāyyaṃ prabādhitum ||
kāmaṃ khalu na me roṣo haiḍimbe vidyate tvayi ||
kiṃ tu roṣānvito jantur hanyād ātmānam apy uta ||
Then, having seen his son slain by the mighty Ashvatthaman, [Ghatotkacha] came near to Drauni, his bracelets trembling with fury, and spoke a word; [Drauni], unperturbed, [said] to the hero, the son [of Drona] [Ghatotkacha], who was burning the army of the Pandavas like a raging fire — a forest [no — this is Ghatotkacha speaking to Drauni]: 'Stand, stand, you shall not escape me alive, son of Drona; I shall slay you now, as Agni's son [Skanda] slew Krauncha.' [Ashvatthaman then answered:] 'Go, child, fight with others, fight valiantly, like an immortal; for, O Hidimba, it is not fitting for a father to press one who has slain his son. Truly I bear no anger toward you, O Hidimba; but a being seized by anger destroys even itself.'
7c933b57e413 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:40:45 PM UTC
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Ashvatthaman displays a rare nobility: having slain the son, he has no wish to fight the father, saying 'I bear no anger toward you,' and wisely warns that anger destroys the one who is angry. This compassion amid enmity is significant. The verse teaches that even in deadly combat freedom from anger is possible; and the warning 'anger will destroy you too' is a deep truth — one blinded by fury harms himself first of all, losing mastery over himself.