Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
जो लोग नींदके कारण अंधे और अचेत-से हो रहे थे, वे उसके शब्दसे चौंककर उछल पड़े; किंतु पुन: भयसे व्याकुल हो जहाँ-तहाँ छिप गये
ye janā nidrā-kāraṇād andhā iva acetasaḥ prāyaḥ bhavanti sma, te tasya śabdena sahasā pratibuddhā utplutya samutthitāḥ; punaś ca bhayākulā yatra-tatra nilīyante sma.
សញ្ជ័យបាននិយាយ៖ បុរសទាំងនោះ ដែលត្រូវដំណេកធ្វើឲ្យងងឹតភ្នែក និងស្ទើរតែអស្មារតី បានភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលដោយសំឡេងនោះ ហើយលោតឡើងដោយភ័យស្លន់ស្លោ; ប៉ុន្តែពេលភ័យកាន់តែគ្រប់គ្រងវិញ ពួកគេបានរត់បែកខ្ញែក ហើយលាក់ខ្លួនតាមទីកន្លែងណាដែលអាចលាក់បាន។
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the moral and psychological collapse that accompanies nocturnal violence: when people are attacked in vulnerability, fear overwhelms discernment, and survival instinct replaces courage and order—an implicit critique of terror-driven warfare.
In the Sauptika episode, a sudden sound (from the attackers’ action) startles men who were half-unconscious with sleep; they jump up, then, gripped by fear, disperse and hide wherever possible.