Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

सुतसोमस्य सासिं त॑ बाहुं छित्त्वा नरर्षभ । पुनरप्याहनत्‌ पाश्वें स भिन्नहृदयो5पतत्‌

Transliteration

Sutasomasya sāsiṃ taṃ bāhuṃ chittvā nararṣabha | punar apy āhanat pārśve sa bhinnahṛdayo 'patat ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「おお、人々の中の雄牛よ。アシュヴァッターマンは、スータソーマの剣もろともその腕を斬り落とし、さらに脇腹を打った。胸と心のあたりは裂け、スータソーマは大地に倒れ伏した。」

Word by Word

• सुतसोमस्य: of Sutasoma
• सुतसोमस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुतसोम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सासिम्: with a sword (sword-in-hand)
• सासिम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सासि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तं: him
• तं: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बाहुम्: arm
• बाहुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• छित्त्वा: having cut
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada (usage)

• नरर्षभ: O bull among men
• नरर्षभ: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• अपि: also / even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• आहनत्: struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पार्श्वे: in/at the side (rib-side)
• पार्श्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भिन्नहृदयः: with heart/chest split
• भिन्नहृदयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्नहृदय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपतत्: fell down
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sutasoma
• Aśvatthāman
• sword

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how warfare, when stripped of restraint and dharma, becomes mere butchery; it implicitly contrasts regulated kṣatriya combat with the moral collapse of a nocturnal slaughter.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates Aśvatthāman’s attack: he severs Sutasoma’s arm along with his sword and then strikes his side, causing a fatal rupture in the chest/heart-region, and Sutasoma collapses.