Shloka 104

Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout

Devanagari script

गोत्रनामभिरन्योन्यमाक्रन्दन्त ततो जना: । हाहाकारं च कुर्वाणा: पृथिव्यां शेरते परे

Transliteration

gotranāmabhir anyonyam ākrandanta tato janāḥ | hāhākāraṃ ca kurvāṇāḥ pṛthivyāṃ śerate pare ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the people cried out to one another, calling each other by their clan and family names. Raising a dreadful wail of “Alas! Alas!”, others lay strewn upon the earth—overwhelmed by terror and grief in the wake of the night’s slaughter.

Word by Word

• गोत्रनामभिः: with clan- and name-(calls)
• गोत्रनामभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्रनामन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually, to one another
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य

• आक्रन्दन्त: cried out, wailed
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + क्रन्द्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हाहाकारम्: a cry of lamentation
• हाहाकारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हाहाकार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कुर्वाणाः: making, uttering
• कुर्वाणाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present active participle (Parasmaipada), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth, on the ground
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• शेरते: lie, rest
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Atmanepada

• परे: others (some others)
• परे: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• जनाः (the people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the human cost of adharma-driven violence: in the aftermath, social identity (clan names) becomes a desperate means of recognition and survival, while grief and fear reduce people to helpless lamentation—an ethical reminder that cruelty in war devastates both victors and victims.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the nocturnal slaughter described in the Sauptika Parva, survivors and onlookers cry out, calling to one another by lineage names amid chaos. Many others, overcome by shock and sorrow, lie on the ground wailing.