प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञाम् अश्वत्थामा महाबलः ॥
धनुः प्रपीड्य वामेन करेणामित्रकर्शनः ॥
मुमोचाकर्णपूर्णेन धनुषा शरम् उत्तमम् ॥
यमदण्डोपमं घोरम् उद्दिश्याशु घटोत्कचम् ॥
स भित्त्वा हृदयं तस्य राक्षसस्य शरोत्तमः ॥
विवेश वसुधाम् उग्रः सुपुङ्खः पृथिवीपते ॥
सो ऽतिविद्धो महाराज रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् ॥
राक्षसेन्द्रः सुबलवान् द्रौणिना रणमानिना ॥
pratilabhya tataḥ saṃjñām aśvatthāmā mahābalaḥ ||
dhanuḥ prapīḍya vāmena kareṇāmitrakarśanaḥ ||
mumocākarṇapūrṇena dhanuṣā śaram uttamam ||
yamadaṇḍopamaṃ ghoram uddiśyāśu ghaṭotkacam ||
sa bhittvā hṛdayaṃ tasya rākṣasasya śarottamaḥ ||
viveśa vasudhām ugraḥ supuṅkhaḥ pṛthivīpate ||
so 'tividdho mahārāja rathopastha upāviśat ||
rākṣasendraḥ subalavān drauṇinā raṇamāninā ||
The Pāñcālas and Sṛñjayas raised a lion's roar. Then, having come to his senses, Aśvatthāman, the mighty one, harasser of foes, gripping his bow with his left hand, released from a bow drawn to the ear an excellent arrow — fearsome, resembling the staff of Yama — quickly aiming at Ghaṭotkaca. It, having pierced the heart of that rākṣasa — that best of arrows — entered the earth, fearsome, fair-feathered, O lord of the earth. He, cruelly pierced, O great king, sank down onto the floor of his chariot.
785dc8d0ad4b · publicado 19 jul 2026, 16:49:34 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
The revived Drauṇi strikes the rākṣasa to the heart with a single arrow "resembling the staff of Yama": the moment of weakness has passed, and mastery reclaims its advantage. It is telling that Ghaṭotkaca's recent boast of Aśvatthāman's death now turns into his own defeat. The verse teaches that excellence of skill rises again even after a fall; and whoever exults too soon reaps the reverse — for fate keeps faith: what is sown in pride ripens into loss for the very sower.