Shloka 95
Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
Devanagari script
तेषामार्तरवं श्रुत्वा वित्रस्ता गजवाजिन:
Transliteration
teṣām ārtaravaṁ śrutvā vitrastā gajavājinaḥ
Translation
Sañjaya said: Hearing their anguished cries, the elephants and horses were seized with terror.
Word by Word
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
आर्त-रवम्distressed cry / lamenting sound
आर्त-रवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआर्त (adj.) + रव (m.)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु (धातु)
FormAbsolutive (Gerund)
वित्रस्ताःfrightened / terrified
वित्रस्ताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवि-त्रस् (धातु) → वित्रस्त (ppp)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
गज-वाजिनःelephants and horses
गज-वाजिनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगज (m.) + वाजिन् (m.)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaE
elephants (gaja)H
horses (vājin)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how violence spreads fear beyond human combatants: even animals are traumatized by cries of suffering. It underscores the ethical cost of war—terror and pain ripple through all beings, not only the intended targets.
In the Sauptika Parva’s night-time devastation, anguished cries arise from the attacked camp. Hearing these distressing sounds, the war-elephants and horses panic, reflecting the chaos and horror of the scene as Sañjaya narrates events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.