Shloka 99
Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
Devanagari script
ते भग्ना: प्रपतन्ति सम निध्नन्तश्न॒ परस्परम्
Transliteration
te bhagnāḥ prapatanti sma nighnantas tu parasparam
Translation
संजय म्हणाला—ते भग्न होऊन धडपडत पडू लागले आणि त्या गोंधळात परस्परांना धडक देत, एकमेकांना चिरडू लागले.
Word by Word
तेthey (those)
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
भग्नाःbroken, routed
भग्नाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootभग्न (√भञ्ज्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
प्रपतन्तिfall down, tumble, rush down
प्रपतन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र√पत्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
सम्together, completely (as a preverb)
सम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसम्
निघ्नन्तःstriking, killing
निघ्नन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootनि√हन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, शतृ (present active participle)
परस्परम्one another, mutually
परस्परम्:
Karma
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरस्पर
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
स
संजय (Sañjaya)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare, once it descends into panic and disorder, erodes discernment and solidarity; ethical restraint collapses and violence becomes indiscriminate, even turning inward among one’s own side.
Sañjaya describes routed fighters who, in confusion, fall and strike each other—depicting a scene of disarray where the defeated are not merely fleeing but are caught in mutual, chaotic violence.