Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा प्राविशद्‌ द्रौणि: पार्थानां शिबिरं महत्‌

Transliteration

ity uktvā prāviśad drauṇiḥ pārthānāṃ śibiraṃ mahat

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having spoken thus, Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman) entered the great camp of the Pāṇḍavas—an act that signals the shift from open warfare to a covert, morally fraught assault carried out under the cover of night.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त्वा, कर्तरि, absolutive (gerund)

• प्राविशत्: entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश्
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), 3, singular, परस्मैपद, कर्तरि

• द्रौणिः: Drauni (son of Drona, i.e., Ashvatthaman)
• द्रौणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• पार्थानाम्: of the sons of Pritha (the Pandavas)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• शिबिरम्: camp
• शिबिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिर
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• महत्: great, large
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• द्रौणि (Drauṇi/Aśvatthāman)
• पार्थाः (Pārthas/Pāṇḍavas)
• शिबिर (camp/encampment)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse marks a decisive ethical descent: after declaring his intent, Aśvatthāman crosses into the enemy camp, foreshadowing violence outside the norms of open battle. It highlights how anger and vengeance can drive actions that violate accepted dharma of warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Aśvatthāman (Droṇa’s son) proceeds into the large encampment of the Pāṇḍavas. This is the immediate setup for the Sauptika episode, where the conflict continues through a stealthy incursion rather than a daytime battlefield engagement.