Shloka 831
Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
ततस्तच्छब्दवित्रस्ता उत्पतन्तो भयातुरा: । निद्रान्धा नष्ट्सज्ञाक्ष तत्र तत्र निलिल्यिरे
tatas tacchabdavitrastā utpatanto bhayāturāḥ | nidrāndhā naṣṭasaṃjñākṣā tatra tatra nililyire ||
Sañjaya said: Then, terrified by that sound, they sprang up in panic. Blinded by sleep and with their senses and sight confused, they scattered and hid themselves here and there.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and confusion overwhelm discernment when vigilance and moral clarity are absent—especially in the disorder of nocturnal violence—showing the ethical and psychological collapse that accompanies adharma-driven warfare.
A sudden sound triggers panic among those who were asleep; half-awake and disoriented, they jump up in terror and hide in different places, indicating the chaos and vulnerability of the camp at night.