Shloka 177
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत द्रोणपर्वके अन्तर्गत घटोत्कचवधपर्वमें रात्रियुद्धके प्रसंगमें अलायुधयुद्धविषयक एक सौ सतहत्तरवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
iti prakāraṁ śrīmahābhārate droṇaparvake antargata ghaṭotkacavadhaparvaṇi rātriyuddhaprasaṅge alāyudhayuddhaviṣayaka ekaśata-saptasaptatitamo ’dhyāyaḥ pūrṇaḥ
Sañjaya said: Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Droṇa Parva—under the section concerning the slaying of Ghaṭotkaca—on the occasion of the night-battle, the one-hundred-and-seventy-seventh chapter, dealing with the combat involving Alāyudha, is concluded. The narration marks a grim turning point in the ethics of war, as the struggle continues under the cover of night and extraordinary warriors and weapons are brought to bear.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a colophon, but it implicitly highlights how war can slide into morally fraught territory—here, the continuation of combat at night and the introduction of formidable figures intensify the conflict, raising questions about the limits of righteous warfare (dharma-yuddha) amid desperation.
Sañjaya signals the conclusion of a chapter in the Droṇa Parva: within the Ghaṭotkaca-slaying section, during the night-battle episode, the chapter focused on the fighting involving Alāyudha has ended.