Shloka 34
Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
Devanagari script
धृष्टद्युम्नं च हत्वा स तांश्वैवास्प पदानुगान्
Transliteration
dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ca hatvā sa tāñ śvaivāspa-padānugān
Translation
Sañjaya said: Having slain Dhṛṣṭadyumna, he then struck down those others as well—followers who moved in the very footsteps of Aśvatthāman.
Word by Word
धृष्टद्युम्नम्Dhrishtadyumna
धृष्टद्युम्नम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधृष्टद्युम्न
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
हत्वाhaving slain
हत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootहन्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active, Perfective (prior action)
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तान्those (men)
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
आस्पदplace/footing; base
आस्पद:
TypeNoun
Rootआस्पद
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अनुगान्followers
अनुगान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअनुग
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
स
संजय (Sañjaya)ध
धृष्टद्युम्न (Dhṛṣṭadyumna)अ
अश्वत्थामन् (Aśvatthāman)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how vengeance and adharma in war tend to escalate: after killing a principal enemy, the violence extends to associates and followers, showing the moral contagion of unchecked retaliation.
Sañjaya reports that after Dhṛṣṭadyumna is slain, the killer proceeds to kill others as well—those described as followers moving in Aśvatthāman’s footsteps—continuing the chain of deaths in the Sauptika night episode.