Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
तथा भवदश्यां कार्य स्यादिति मे निश्चिता मति: । “मैं तो इस शिविरके भीतर घुस जाऊँगा और वहाँ कालके समान विचरूँगा। आपलोग ऐसा करें जिससे कोई भी मनुष्य आप दोनोंके हाथसे जीवित न बच सके, यही मेरा दृढ़ विचार है”,ततो रथं पुनद्रौणिरास्थितो भीमनि:स्वनम् | धनुष्पाणि: शरैरन्यान् प्रैषयद् वै यमक्षयम्
tathā bhavad-aśyāṁ kāryaṁ syād iti me niścitā matiḥ | tato rathaṁ punar drauṇir āsthito bhīma-niḥsvanam | dhanuṣ-pāṇiḥ śarair anyān praiṣayad vai yama-kṣayam ||
សញ្ជ័យបាននិយាយ៖ «ចិត្តខ្ញុំបានសម្រេចមាំមួនថា ត្រូវធ្វើដូចនេះ»។ បន្ទាប់មក កូនប្រុសរបស់ទ្រូណា បានឡើងជិះរទេះសង្គ្រាមម្ដងទៀត ដែលបន្លឺសំឡេងគួរឱ្យខ្លាចដូចផ្គរលាន់ ហើយកាន់ធ្នូក្នុងដៃ បាញ់ព្រួញបញ្ជូនយោធាផ្សេងៗទៅកាន់លំនៅរបស់យម (មរណៈ)។
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights how a ‘firmly decided mind’ (niścitā matiḥ) can become ethically catastrophic when directed toward annihilation. It presents resolve and martial capability as morally ambiguous: determination without dharmic restraint turns action into mere ‘sending to Yama,’ i.e., death as an end in itself.
Sañjaya describes Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāmā) renewing his assault: he mounts his roaring chariot, takes up his bow, and shoots arrows that kill ‘others,’ metaphorically sending them to Yama’s realm. It is part of the Sauptika Parva’s night-time violence following the great war.