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Shloka 165

Nārāyaṇāstra-utpātaḥ — Aśvatthāman’s Rallying Roar after Droṇa’s Fall (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६७)

Devanagari script

इति श्रीमहाभारते द्रोणपर्वणि घटोत्कचवधपर्वणि रात्रियुद्धे युधिष्ठिरापयानं नाम पज्चषष्ट्यधिकशततमो<ध्याय:

Transliteration

iti śrīmahābhārate droṇaparvaṇi ghaṭotkacavadhaparvaṇi rātriyuddhe yudhiṣṭhirāpayānaṃ nāma pañcaṣaṣṭyadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

Demikianlah, dalam Śrī Mahābhārata, pada Droṇa Parva—dalam bagian Ghaṭotkaca-vadha, pada peristiwa perang malam—berakhir bab ke-165 yang berjudul “Yudhiṣṭhira’s Withdrawal (Yudhiṣṭhirāpayāna)”.

Word by Word

इतिthus; end-quote marker

श्रीमहाभारतेin the holy Mahābhārata

द्रोणपर्वणिin the Droṇa-parvan

घटोत्कचवधपर्वणिin the sub-parvan (section) on the slaying of Ghaṭotkaca

रात्रियुद्धेin the night-battle

युधिष्ठिरापयानम्the departure/withdrawal of Yudhiṣṭhira

नामnamed; called

पञ्चषष्ट्यधिकशततमःthe one-hundred-and-sixty-fifth (chapter)

अध्यायःchapter

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mahābhārata

Droṇa Parva

Ghaṭotkaca

Yudhiṣṭhira

Rātriyuddha (night-battle)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

As a chapter-colophon, the verse itself teaches indirectly: even in a dharma-framed war, leaders may be compelled to withdraw when circumstances become overwhelming. Ethical warfare includes prudence—preserving life and regrouping can be a responsible choice rather than mere cowardice.

What is happening in the narrative?

This line marks the formal close of a chapter in the Droṇa Parva, situated in the night-battle episode and within the sub-section on Ghaṭotkaca’s death. The chapter is titled “Yudhiṣṭhira’s Withdrawal,” indicating that the preceding narrative described Yudhiṣṭhira’s retreat/departure in the course of the nocturnal fighting.