Shloka 27
ते यूयं यदि मन्यध्वमुपारमत सैनिका: । निमीलयत चात्रैव रणभूमौ मुहूर्तकम्,'सैनिको! तुम सब लोग अपने वाहनोंसहित थक गये हो और नींदसे अन्धे हो रहे हो। इधर यह सारी सेना घोर अन्धकार और बहुत-सी धूलसे ढक गयी है। अतः यदि तुम ठीक समझो तो युद्ध बंद कर दो और दो घड़ीतक इस रणभूमिमें ही सो लो
te yūyaṁ yadi manyadhvam upāramata sainikāḥ | nimīlayata cātraiva raṇabhūmau muhūrtakam ||
Sañjaya said: “If you deem it proper, O soldiers, then cease the fighting. Close your eyes right here on the battlefield for a short while.” In the press of war—when fatigue, darkness, and dust overwhelm the senses—this counsel frames a brief pause not as cowardice but as a practical, humane restraint amid chaos.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid sanctioned warfare, discernment and restraint matter: when soldiers are exhausted and conditions are perilous, a temporary pause can be the more responsible course, preserving life and clarity rather than forcing blind violence.
Sañjaya reports a moment in the night-battle context where the troops are urged—if they agree—to stop fighting and briefly rest on the battlefield, indicating a lull or proposed lull due to overwhelming fatigue and conditions.