Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
तेषामार्तरवं श्रुत्वा वित्रस्ता गजवाजिन:
teṣām ārtaravaṁ śrutvā vitrastā gajavājinaḥ
Sañjaya berkata: Mendengar jeritan pilu mereka, gajah dan kuda pun dilanda ketakutan.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights how violence spreads fear beyond human combatants: even animals are traumatized by cries of suffering. It underscores the ethical cost of war—terror and pain ripple through all beings, not only the intended targets.
In the Sauptika Parva’s night-time devastation, anguished cries arise from the attacked camp. Hearing these distressing sounds, the war-elephants and horses panic, reflecting the chaos and horror of the scene as Sañjaya narrates events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.