व्यवस्थिते बले तस्मिन्न् अस्त्रे प्रतिहते तथा ॥
दुर्योधनो महाराज द्रोणपुत्रम् अथाब्रवीत् ॥
अश्वत्थामन् पुनः शीघ्रम् अस्त्रम् एतत् प्रयोजय ॥
व्यवस्थिता हि पाञ्चालाः पुनर् एव जयैषिणः ॥
अश्वत्थामा तथोक्तस् तु तव पुत्रेण मारिष ॥
सुदीनम् अभिनिःश्वस्य राजानम् इदम् अब्रवीत् ॥
vyavasthite bale tasminn astre pratihate tathā ||
duryodhano mahārāja droṇaputram athābravīt ||
aśvatthāman punaḥ śīghram astram etat prayojaya ||
vyavasthitā hi pāñcālāḥ punar eva jayaiṣiṇaḥ ||
aśvatthāmā tathoktas tu tava putreṇa māriṣa ||
sudīnam abhiniḥśvasya rājānam idam abravīt ||
When that army had taken up its position and the weapon was thus repelled, Duryodhana, O great king, said to the son of Drona: 'Ashvatthaman, quickly use this weapon again; for the Panchalas have drawn up once more, eager for victory.' Ashvatthaman, thus addressed by your son, O worthy one, having sighed most dolefully, said this to the king.
b5004126f942 · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:12:46 PM UTC
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Duryodhana demands that the weapon be loosed a second time, unaware of its law; Ashvatthaman answers with a 'most doleful sigh.' It is telling that the one who wields the weapon grieves, while the one who does not command it impatiently -- knowledge is bound up with sorrow over its limits. The verse teaches that ignorance demands the impossible, while knowledge knows the bitter measure; and the wise sigh where the fool hastens -- for they see what is hidden from the other.