Shloka 7
Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
यत्तौ भवन्तौ पर्याप्तौ सर्वक्षत्रस्थ नाशने । कि पुनर्योधशेषस्य प्रसुप्तस्य विशेषत:,“यदि आप दोनों सावधान होकर चेष्टा करें तो सम्पूर्ण क्षत्रियोंका विनाश करनेके लिये पर्याप्त हैं। फिर इन बचे-खुचे और विशेषतः सोये हुए योद्धाओंको मारना कौन बड़ी बात है?
yattau bhavantau paryāptau sarva-kṣatra-stha-nāśane | ki punar yodha-śeṣasya prasuptasya viśeṣataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “If you two remain alert and exert yourselves, you are sufficient to bring about the destruction of all the Kṣatriyas. How much more, then, is the killing of the few warriors who remain—especially when they are asleep?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral tension: when power and capability are emphasized, violence can be rationalized as ‘easy’ or ‘insignificant,’ even against defenseless targets. In the Sauptika context, this kind of reasoning points toward adharma—normalizing the killing of sleeping survivors as a mere tactical convenience rather than a righteous act.
Sañjaya reports a statement that flatters and emboldens two warriors, asserting they are sufficient to destroy all Kṣatriyas if they act vigilantly; therefore, killing the few remaining fighters—particularly while they are asleep—should be even easier. This aligns with the build-up to the nocturnal slaughter that characterizes the Sauptika Parva.