त॑ हतं संयुगे कश्चिदस्मै शंसतु मानव: । “मेरा विश्वास है कि अश्वत्थामाके मारे जानेपर ये युद्ध नहीं कर सकते। कोई मनुष्य उनसे जाकर कहे कि *युद्धमें अश्वत्थामा मारा गया'
taṁ hataṁ saṁyuge kaścid asmai śaṁsatu mānavaḥ |
قال سنجيا: «ليذهب رجلٌ ما ويخبره بأن أشڤتّھاما قد قُتل في المعركة. إنني على يقين أنه متى سمع بموت أشڤتّھاما فلن يعود قادرًا على مواصلة هذه الحرب.»
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights how warfare can pressure people into ethically fraught tactics—here, using a report of death as a strategic tool—raising questions about dharma, truthfulness, and the moral cost of victory.
Sañjaya reports a plan to send someone to tell a key warrior that Aśvatthāmā has been killed in battle, believing that this news will break his resolve and make him unable to continue fighting.