Aśvatthāmā’s Buddhi-Doctrine and Nocturnal Incursion Resolve (अश्वत्थाम्नः बुद्धिविचारः सौप्तिकसंकल्पश्च)
एवं कार्यस्य योगार्थ बुद्धि कुर्वन्ति मानवा: । प्रज्ञया हि स्वया युक्तास्तां च निन्दन्ति मानवा:
evaṁ kāryasya yogārthaṁ buddhiṁ kurvanti mānavāḥ | prajñayā hi svayā yuktās tāṁ ca nindanti mānavāḥ ||
अशा रीतीने कार्यसाधनासाठी मनुष्य निर्णयबुद्धी करतात; पण स्वतःच्या प्रज्ञेने युक्त असतानाही त्या निर्णयाची निंदा इतर लोक करीत राहतात.
संजय उवाच
Even well-considered decisions made with personal discernment can attract criticism; ethical clarity does not guarantee social approval.
Sañjaya comments generally on human behavior: people adopt a firm plan to accomplish a task, but others often disparage that plan even when it is grounded in wisdom—setting a reflective tone amid the grim events of the Sauptika Parva.