Shloka 80
Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
अपेतशस्त्रसन्नाहान् सन्नद्धान् पाण्डुसूंजयान् । प्राहिणोन्मृत्युलोकाय द्रौणि: प्रहरतां वर:
apetaśastrasannāhān sannaddhān pāṇḍusūñjayān | prāhiṇon mṛtyulokāya drauṇiḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ ||
പാണ്ഡവരും സൃഞ്ജയരും തമ്മിൽ ആയുധങ്ങളും കവചവും അഴിച്ചുവെച്ചവരെയും, വീണ്ടും കവചം കെട്ടിയവരെയും—അവരെല്ലാം പ്രഹരിക്കുന്നവരിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ ദ്രൗണി മരണലോകത്തിലേക്ക് അയച്ചു।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical collapse in war when vengeance overrides dharma: killing those who are unarmed or otherwise defenseless is portrayed as a grim transgression, even if some victims had re-armed. It frames Drauṇi’s act as indiscriminate slaughter rather than righteous combat.
Sañjaya reports that Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi) is killing the Pāṇḍava-aligned warriors (Pāṇḍavas and Sṛñjayas) during the night raid—both those who had removed their armor and weapons and those who managed to arm themselves again—sending them to death.