Sauptika Parva Adhyaya 5 Shloka 11 - Mahabharata | Oriya | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 11

Devanagari script

न वध: पूज्यते लोके सुप्तानामिह धर्मत: । तथैवापास्तशस्त्राणां विमुक्तरथवाजिनाम्‌

Transliteration

na vadhaḥ pūjyate loke suptānām iha dharmataḥ | tathaivāpāstaśastrāṇāṃ vimuktarathavājinām ||

Translation

କୃପ କହିଲେ—ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ଶୋଇଥିବା ଲୋକଙ୍କୁ ବଧ କରିବା ଧର୍ମସମ୍ମତ ନୁହେଁ। ସେପରି ଯେମାନେ ଅସ୍ତ୍ର ଛାଡ଼ିଦେଇଛନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଯାହାଙ୍କର ରଥ ଓ ଘୋଡ଼ା ଖୋଲାଯାଇଛି (ଯୁଦ୍ଧଯୋଗ୍ୟ ନୁହେଁ), ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ବଧ କରିବା ମଧ୍ୟ ଅଧର୍ମ।

Word by Word

नnot

वधःkilling, slaying

पूज्यतेis approved/esteemed

लोकेin the world

सुप्तानाम्of (those) asleep

इहhere

धर्मतःaccording to dharma, as a matter of righteousness

तथाlikewise, similarly

एवindeed, just

अपास्त-शस्त्राणाम्of those who have laid aside weapons

विमुक्त-रथ-वाजिनाम्of those whose chariots and horses have been released/unyoked

Speaker

कृप उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kṛpa (speaker)

weapons (śastra)

chariot (ratha)

horses (vājin)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse states a principle of dharma-yuddha: it is not righteous to kill those who are asleep or otherwise defenseless—specifically those who have set aside weapons and those who are no longer equipped for combat (their chariots/horses released).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Sauptika Parva context, Kṛpa voices a moral restraint regarding night-time or opportunistic slaughter, warning that attacking sleeping or disarmed opponents violates accepted norms of righteous warfare.